Knowledge is power.
I say that over and over in this blog. Usually it's in the context of understanding all you can about Alzheimer's disease to demystify it and make coping with a loved one's case easier. Many people would extend this to collecting information about their own risk for developing Alzheimer's. In other words, the *why not?* argument.
It might help me -- or my children -- to recognize worrisome symptoms earlier.
How many of us wrote off Mom's forgetfulness as part of aging, or made excuses for Dad's repetition and money mistakes, often for years before it was clear that the problem was Alzheimer's? Early diagnosis helps people plan for health care, financial, and legal issues and do things like name proxies, identify old photos while there's time, and perhaps get less mad at one another thanks to the patience that comes with realizing what's going on.
It might help my children decide whether to be tested themselves some day.
This thought struck me recently while lighting some of Caring.com's virtual Caring Candles to honor and commemorate some of my relatives. When I lit an Alzheimer's candle for my mother-in-law, I realized that my children might be affected on both sides of their family, perhaps making my genetics all the more useful for their health histories.
