I genuinely think that loss of one's "mind" is the most frightening prospect one can conjure. The total eradication of non-positional thought. In essence, if memory constitutes our existence, what happens once you lose it?
Yes. The odd thing about senility in most cases is that the person suffering from it retains most of the long term memory, but the recent thoughts are disjointed and convoluted.
SC, one thing I forgot to mention to you is a word or two of advice as you deal with thease issues. Do not go through it alone. A support group is necessary, and it sounds as if your siblings and you are very family oriented.
A second thing, that has helped and continues to help my family, is to maintain a sense of humor. When it was time for my Uncle Jack to become senile, he occasionally would slip away from a family function and walk home (until he could no longer find his way). One night, when we thought he could be trusted, he left a reunion, and walked two miles home along an unlit highway. After finding him home, my aunt asked if we should invest in an assisted living facility. My brother said it would be cheaper to invest in a few rolls of reflective tape.
