Are there many, some, a few of us over 50??

[mimitabby]

in 1990 my father sent me a cassette of him singing some old italian songs. He already had Alz. but he sang right up to his very last years. I listened to the tape and it was kind of corny and embarrassing, so i just stuck it somewhere.
I found it last fall while rearranging book cases and played it. It sounded great! and he's dead! I just had it put onto a CD and have shared it with a grandchild of his that he never met. Do any recording, and yes, get all the memories you can because although they say that they never forget the past, only the present, that's not true... and once they're dead they never tell you another story.

[bcipam]

Thankfully my father has been documenting his past and everything for his grandkids. It's justs hard to see what I used to consider to be such an intelligent and sharp man act confused. He just can't seem to remember where he is and he goes through that obessive routine constantly - "where are my keys?" "At home Dad, you flew here remember" "Oh, ok.... where are my keys.." This can go on for hours. I almost wish my Mom had left him home instead of dragging him to the funeral. He had no idea where he was and why he was there. Even at the funeral home during the viewing he kept asking where he was and what he was suppose to do. He had no concept that someone had died (maybe a good thing). He is lucky (or unlucky since my mom is a b*tch) to have my mom drag him around. I live alone - my cat won'y be all that patient if I ask him where my keys are for the 100th time! I plan to do whatever I need to do to keep myself sharp (although I already see myself getting dimwitted).

[mimitabby]

in the early stages of my father's dementia, he was part of a study (while his wife was alive) and they did an IQ test every year, and every year his IQ went down.

On a more humorous note, my DH's mother, also afflicted, went to Covina for her 50th class reunion a couple of years. Everyone in the family will laugh if you say "did she show you her pictures from Covina?" because she literally wore them out, she showed them or threatened to so many times; always like it was the VERY FIRST time.