AD is characterized by retrograde amnesia; older memories are relatively preserved until late in the disease process but newer memories are progressively lost. Family members should be educated that the patient being able to recall past memories is not a sign of improvement but rather feature of the disease. AD symptoms can vary somewhat from day to day but is on the whole a steady degenerative decline; sudden changes in severity are more characteristic of vascular dementia. “AD symptoms can vary day to day, so you shouldn’t get your hopes up.” may be accurate, but it is very blunt.