Alzheimers - a gradual decline over time, however long time is and in her case, the lasting sort, as it has been over 9 years now at least....there are days when they are 'up' and days when they are 'down' on the progress chart - indeed, they can be up and down inside the day. She's at the stage of losing the ability to use a knife and fork, not every day but increasingly so - she can't write and I won't go into the toilet habits. As to recognising us or, even better, remember names, again up and down. What folk say about this loss of remembering family being upsetting - well, in my view, they haven't done their homework properly as it happens and one should be prepared ahead of the game as its to be expected - part of the undercurrent in the book to be, I hasten to add.