My father has recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer's, so I have lots of "baggage" here! I have to keep making bad jokes, or I'll give up and go in a closet and howl. President Reagan was one in millions. He lived with integrity, and died with courage.
I offer you my prayers for your family and your father. I cared for my paternal grandmother who had Alzheimer's. I have walked in the shoes that you now find yourself in.
Your father is in my prayers. :-}
May God give you strength and comfort as you face this illness. My mother had dementia or altzheimer's. As they say - it all comes to the same result.
What I learned is to just take them as they are and where they are. Do not continually ask them "Why did you do that?" Enjoy what you can with them, find activities you can do together and laugh a lot. I have so many sweet memories of our times together, so many funny things, so many cute things. I do so miss the other Altzheimer's patients I came to know as Mother and I went through those years. I lost her in March.
One of my favorite times was when I brought her a baby doll. She was in the lunchroom and her face lit up. All stopped to watch as she took it. It was a beautiful moment and I feel she enjoyed this gift more than any other I've ever given her. That baby doll was her baby and many times we had to clean it because she fed it lunch as she ate.
And most of all - realize they cannot help that they forget, they cannot help when they can't do something. My worst memories are the times I got frustrated with her over doing some little task. I am ashamed at that irritation at such a sweet little person.