Personal Care Home Administrator (PCHA) Practice Exam 2025 – All-in-One Guide to Master Your Certification!

The initial stage of Alzheimer's disease is characterized as a mild cognitive impairment, which often leads to confusion and memory issues that can be subtle but noticeable. This stage typically includes symptoms such as forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating, and challenges in planning or organizing tasks. It's crucial for early detection in order to manage the disease effectively and offer support to those affected. While the term "impairment" might suggest a more significant level of cognitive decline, it is often used in clinical contexts to refer to the early, often subtle difficulties that can signal the onset of Alzheimer’s.

The other choices describe stages that are more advanced in the progression of the disease. Mild decline, for instance, generally describes the initial changes a person may experience, yet impairment encapsulates a broader range of symptoms that may not yet be overwhelmingly disruptive to daily activities. The stages involving moderate severe decline and very severe represent more advanced levels of cognitive deterioration, which include profound memory loss and the inability to carry out basic daily tasks, indicating that they come later in the course of the disease.