My father has been living in residential care facilities since December 2014. I saw him on six consecutive days during the first week of June 2015.

The best guess is he has Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), and it is “the late stage.” I have resisted that diagnosis, perhaps because I carry genetic markers that give me a higher than average risk for this costly killer. Or perhaps I cringe at the stigma of dementia, whatever the symptoms or cause.

Whether AD will be my father’s final mortal diagnosis or not: He can’t take care of himself anymore, nor can my mother, nor my family, without constant assistance.....