What to ask after a parent is diagnosed with Alzheimer's

Short answer: After a parent's Alzheimer's diagnosis, ask the diagnosing doctor which type and stage this is, what medications are appropriate now, what the next 12 months typically look like, whether your parent can still drive and manage finances, and what legal paperwork (power of attorney, healthcare proxy) needs to happen this month. The full list is below.

An Alzheimer's diagnosis for a parent doesn't just change their life — it changes yours. Suddenly you're navigating a condition you may know very little about, making decisions on behalf of someone who may not fully understand what's happening, and trying to figure out what the next year looks like, let alone the next decade. The appointments feel short. The information feels overwhelming. And the questions you meant to ask somehow don't get asked.

Here's a starting list — organized around the moments that matter most in the early stage.

Questions to ask the diagnosing physician right now

• What type of Alzheimer's is this — early-onset or late-onset — and does that distinction change anything about the likely progression or treatment?
• What tests confirmed this diagnosis, and is there any chance this is something else or something reversible?
• What stage is my parent in right now, and what does the typical progression from here look like?
• Are there medications that slow progression, and are they appropriate for my parent's specific situation?
• What should I be watching for that would signal things are moving faster than expected?

Questions about safety and daily living

• Is my parent safe living alone right now — and what would change that calculation?
• Are they safe to drive? If not, how do we handle that conversation?
• What home modifications or safety measures should we be thinking about now rather than later?
• Are there daily tasks they can no longer do reliably — managing medications, finances, the stove?

Questions about legal and financial planning

• Is my parent still capable of making legal and financial decisions — and for how long?
• What legal documents need to be in place, and how urgently?
• Are there benefits, programs, or insurance policies that apply to this diagnosis that we should be looking into now?

Questions for the long term

• What does care typically look like as this progresses — and at what point do families usually need to bring in outside help?
• What are the options between "living at home" and "memory care facility," and how do we know when to move from one to the next?
• What support exists for caregivers — not just for my parent, but for me?

The question that's hardest to ask

"What do we wish we had done in the first six months that most families don't do until it's too late?"

Every physician and care team has seen this journey unfold. Their answer to this question is often the most valuable thing they can tell you — and most families never ask it.

What's new in Alzheimer's research

Alzheimer's research has moved meaningfully in the last several years. Lecanemab and donanemab — two amyloid-targeting drugs — received FDA approval or accelerated approval in 2023 and 2024, representing the first treatments shown to slow disease progression in early-stage Alzheimer's rather than just managing symptoms. These are not cures, and they're not appropriate for everyone, but they represent a real shift in what treatment can mean at early stages. Ask your care team whether your parent might be a candidate.

Where Cura Well Plan fits in

Alzheimer's caregiving is a long road, and the questions change at every stage. Cura Well Plan is built around your parent's specific diagnosis and stage — generating the questions worth asking right now, updating you on what's changing in research and treatment, and connecting you with organizations already supporting families in your exact situation.

Start with your situation →## Related reading

• Caring for a parent with dementia: where to start — the practical caregiving framework beyond the first appointment.
• Questions to ask after any new diagnosis — the general framework these Alzheimer's-specific questions sit inside.

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This post is for general informational purposes and isn't a substitute for guidance from your care team.