I do not feel that the “best” of my grandmother was gone in her later stages. Her context was gone. The ability to delay gratification was gone. The ability to even know what she wanted or who she was … was gone. But her visceral response to life was NOT gone. Having my grandmother as a Dementia Mentor (even if only in my memory), has been a tremendous source of hope and example. In my final days I hope the same can be said of me.