The playbook I wish my family had

We're Welive, a virtual elderly care service. We made this directory so families have a real starting point — and we'd love to show you how virtual care compares.

An honest, plain-language guide to the medications used in Alzheimer's and dementia today — donepezil, memantine, the new amyloid-targeting antibodies (lecanemab and donanemab), and the medications used for behavioral symptoms. What each one does, what it doesn't, and what to watch for.

A founder's guide to the genetics of Alzheimer's — what APOE-4 means, what one copy versus two copies actually changes, the difference between APOE-4 and the deterministic genes, and the GINA insurance gap every family should know about before testing.

A plain-language walk through the Reisberg Global Deterioration Scale — the seven-stage framework clinicians use to describe Alzheimer's progression. Each stage is described with what it actually looks like in daily life at home.

Alzheimer's is one type of dementia, not a synonym for it. This guide explains the major types — Alzheimer's, vascular, Lewy body, frontotemporal, and mixed — in plain language, with the practical differences that matter for caregivers.

Two-thirds of dementia caregivers are women. A third are daughters. I read the Reddit threads. I take the screening calls. Here's what daughters in the sandwich generation are actually saying behind closed doors — about their siblings, their guilt, their marriages, and the parent they're losing in slow motion.

When my mom finally told us, we found out she'd already known for years. Here's what I wish someone had told me about the first 30 days — written for families who feel like they're already behind.