Bob Blackwell can rattle off the names of every country in Europe, even the obscure little islands, but most days he can’t remember his computer password or his wife, Carol’s, cell phone number.
  The 30-year CIA veteran recalls trips to the USSR on Air Force One with Vice President George H. W. Bush and meetings with Presidents Carter and Reagan, but he occasionally forgets which exit to take on the way home.
  At 65, Blackwell, now retired, is experiencing the baffling symptoms of early-stage Alzheimer’s disease, a form of dementia.
  He sings in a choir, hikes and kayaks with Carol, breakfasts every week with friends, builds sand castles with his grandchildren and can recount details from a spy novel he’s reading. But sometimes he just can’t summon up the word he wants.
“It can be confusing,” says Blackwell, who holds a Ph.D. in political science but these days leaves tasks such as balancing the checkbook, paying bills and travel planning to Carol...

Discussion Questions:
27. How does Bob Blackwell deal with the challenges of early-stage Alzheimer’s disease?
Why is the disease so tricky to diagnose? What are some subtle changes that might signal the start of Alzheimer’s disease?

28. What does Blackwell do to fend off the disease? Why might these activities be effective?
What are some common misconceptions in regard to Alzheimer’s? How has this article helped you better understand the disease?