San Francisco – October 30, 2026 -- If a holiday visit is your first full day in months with an aging parent, a memory care director says what you notice is worth writing down and bringing to a doctor.
Gloria Vo, executive director of Frank Residences, an assisted living and memory care community at the San Francisco Campus for Jewish Living, says families often call after the holidays. Vo is trained in dementia support through the Crisis Prevention Institute. Her advice: nobody needs to diagnose a parent at the dinner table, but paying attention is not overreacting.
November is Alzheimer's awareness month, with 7.4 million Americans affected
November is National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month. According to the Alzheimer's Association, about 7.4 million Americans age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer's.
Forgetting a name is often normal; these six changes merit a call
Forgetting a name but recalling it later is often normal. Vo lists these changes as worth a call to the doctor:
- Repeating questions or stories in the same conversation
- Trouble with familiar tasks, like a favorite recipe or paying bills
- Getting lost on familiar routes or not knowing the month
- Missed medications, unpaid bills or falling for scams
- Withdrawal, suspicion, anxiety or irritability
- Expired food, burned pots or a suddenly cluttered home
The key, Vo says, is a pattern: something new that keeps happening or gets worse.
Specific notes help doctors more than general worry
- Write it down. "She asked what day it was four times in an hour" helps a doctor more than "she's been off."
- See a primary care doctor. Annual medical wellness visits include a cognitive check. Bring notes and a medication list.
- Rule out treatable causes such as medication side effects, thyroid problems or depression.
- Don't wait. FDA-cleared blood tests can aid early evaluation, and some approved treatments can slow disease progression in people with early-stage Alzheimer's.
- Plan early while your parent can take part in legal, financial and care decisions.
- Get support from the Alzheimer's Association's free 24/7 Helpline at 800.272.3900.
Vo says families who come to Frank Residences after a crisis almost always wish they had started the conversation sooner.