Hi punkdizzle, good to see you found your way here!

My Grandmother also has Alzheimer's or dementia, there's really no way to no the difference. It is very difficult to handle. This began about 6 years ago. She was around 79 years old when we realized what was happening.

She lived alone, my grandfather passed away 20 years ago, we had to move her into an assisted living community. My gram started to go outside when it was really cold and forget to go back in the house. My parents live next door, luckily, and would see her outside. It just got to be too much for my mom to try to take care of her.

She recognizes her kids most of the time. Well, she pretends to anyway, she's gotten quite good at that. She knows she should recognize them. She thinks my brother is my dad. She is happy in her new "home" although it took a while. She was extremely upset when taken out of her environment, which is completely understandable. She is very child-like now. It's like she's reverted back to being an obstinate teenager; sometimes even like a 5 year old. One of her symptoms is having a lot of anger and saying terrible things to others. She can't help it. Try not to take anything your dad says or does personally. He probably shouldn't be driving anymore. I don't know if your dad is anything like mine, but he would not take that well at all.

This is one of the hardest things to deal with, when someone you love starts to forget everything. Can he talk about it? Will he take one of the medications like Arricept?

I feel so bad. You are just too young to have to deal with all of this. How is your mom handling it? I know my mom, her sibs, and all of us grandchildren have all dealt with it in different ways.

Btw, I'll be starting Ty soon and I plan on starting a log here. There doesn't seem to be one right now.

If you want, you can pm me anytime you want to talk.