We lost my Dad to Vascular Dementia in January.

Receiving this diagnose was his greatest fear and he became a master a disguising the symptoms. He would blame it on old age. When we finally convinced him to go to the doctor he received the dreaded diagnosis. But he was only 77 and had so much more life to live.  We lost him when he was 79. We were robbed of so many years. 
He feared he would forget everyone and losing his independence and that time soon came.

He began needing help with everyday tasks and would became agitated that he could no longer do things for himself.

Then came the point that he did start forgetting names but he would remember faces if you visited frequently. If he forgot your name you would receive a nickname that he always remembered and on good days he would remember your name.
I can be thankful if you can call it that he did remember his children's names, our spouses even if it was the nickname he had given them and a few of the grandchildren. He did quit using the nicknames he has given us as children, we all had one. But he knew who we were by name until the end.
Hope Hospice was an amazing help we were all able to be there for if final hours and say our goodbyes. For that, I will always be thankful.
Some are not so lucky. He never became violent and only had one bout of Sundowners.
Toward the end, he would say he was tired and ready to go. I like to think he went on his own terms.

So we walk for those who can't, knowing that someday a cure will be found and on that day a celebration will be held around the world!