A Young Caregiver’s Letter to Her Father

When Melissa’s Dad was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s, she was only 14 years old. It changed the family dynamics, and she was forced to grow up to take on the responsibility of a caregiver for her Dad. “Our roles reversed,” she said. “I had to be the parent.” We tend to think of dementia as a condition that primarily affects older persons, and issues of early-onset are often overlooked, including its impact on family members.