My father’s dementia has progressed so rapidly in the past ten days, it takes my breath away. On December 19, I stayed with him at my sister’s and we had sensible conversations as we watched the Democratic debate and ate dinner. The next day, refusing to use a walker to assist himself, he fell and was taken to the hospital. On Christmas Eve he was transferred from hospital to a rehabilitation facility, where he is now.

However, he is not cooperating with staff, and his brain has him in a time warp. He thinks my sister is our mother — she passed away twenty years ago.  Within another ten days he will be transferred to a memory care facility. He will not go gently.