I have taken the time to document my exposure to dementia in the elderly solely in the hope that anyone who reads this might avoid the mistakes and missteps which I, and my family, might possibly have been able to be better informed about beforehand. My brother and I were very fortunate in that our mother had both excellent legal advice, and that she resided in a state which offered a program offering care to elder citizens. Residents in other areas of the United States often may not be afforded anywhere the same degree of protection, and I urge anyone reading this to research the options available to them very thoroughly long before caring for an elderly parent becomes an issue.