Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of middle stage Alzheimer's disease?

In the context of middle-stage Alzheimer's disease, severely impaired communication is generally more characteristic of the later stages of the disease rather than the middle stage. During the middle stage, individuals may experience some communication difficulties, but their ability to understand and engage in conversation may still be relatively intact compared to the later stages when communication skills decline significantly.

The other characteristics, such as frequently losing personal items, difficulties with familiar tasks, and impaired judgment, are more pronounced during the middle stage. Individuals may struggle to remember where they have placed belongings, find familiar tasks increasingly challenging, and experience lapses in judgment that can impact their decision-making abilities. Hence, the correct answer reflects a characteristic that is not as prominent during this particular stage of the disease progression.