When do people get this?
Usually, people don't get Alzheimer's until they are over the age of 65.
Kids don't get Alzheimer's and it's not contagious (which means you can't catch the disease from someone else). So there is no need for you to worry about this for yourself.
Also, you should know that not all adults over 65 get Alzheimer's disease, only some do.
​Scientists aren’t 100% certain why someone gets Alzheimer’s. It could be a combination of different things like genetics, lifestyle, or other things we don’t know about yet. The good news is that there is a lot of research happening on Alzheimer’s right now and hopefully we will soon know what causes it and if there may be new treatments available.
When you are still a kid and someone you love has Alzheimer’s it is especially tough. You probably have spent a lot of your life with this person. And maybe your mind isn’t at the point where it can process big news like this well. It’s important to get support. Talk to someone you trust, like a friend, teacher, counselor, or parent. There are a lot of other people out there who are dealing with something similar and they might understand what it’s like.
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And there are also lots of things you can do to support the person with Alzheimer's too. Find some tools on this page.