dementia

My mother always used to say 'put me in a home if I become a nuisance'. When she was older she had dementia and obviously forgot she had said that!

I kept her in her own home for as long as possible because this is what she wanted.

I think what I am trying to say is that, if we get dementia, any plans we have made might go out the window.

joolz it's not too late to set up LPA after a diagnosis, as long as the person is deemed to have capacity.

You can set up LPA now, you don't need a diagnosis.
You can have a pre planned to your specification including hymns etc. funeral and put your affairs in order. Personally I don't see the advantage of testing, even though mum had mixed dementia.

I have given this a great deal of thought. both my parents and father-in-law died in the grip of dementia and my mother-in-law is on the verge of needing a great deal of care due to dementia.
on balance, I think I want to know. once its diagnosed, there are potential problems with finance, property etc. if power of attorney hasn't been sought before the diagnosis, then it's too late. id want to put my affairs in order and do what needs to be done, sorting out bank accounts, thinking about end of life care, cheery things like that
the problem with dementia is that it creeps up on you and in the early days minor issues can be dismissed. before you know it, its too late.

Whilst I am not talking about dementia specifically , all I can say is that finding out you have a life-threatening condition which can't be cured has ruined my life over the last few years. The worry and anxiety is intolerable.
No one knows how they would feel once they found out, it's all speculation....
Would I have the test....probably not, there would be no point. My dad had Alzheimer's but it wasn't really bad until his late 80's.....and knowing about it when he was younger would have made no difference.

Yes

Yes. I would like to prepare myself and my family. Put my affairs in order and let them know my wishes before it was too late.

Yes. It would make me get organised, if the news was bad, then my DC wouldn't have to go through what I've been through with my parents.
Maybe I should stop being so disorganised and sort my stuff/life out anyway.

I think I would prefer to remain in ignorance than to have to live with the knowledge that I was likely to develop any serious condition for which there is, at present, no effective treatment.

There are all sorts of other ramifications to genetic testing. It can affect job prospects, insurance, health including mental health.
It will also affect your children and grandchildren if you are found to have a genetic predisposition to dementia. You then have the problem of whether you tell them or not, or even when to tell them.

Yes, I would have genetic testing of any kind that could help me be better informed about my health.

But your children would still have to 'cope with' your dementia and they, and you, would not have made any plans or had a discussion about your wishes.

Heavens no - if it was positive I would feel obliged to find some way of ending my life - I would not want my dear children to have to cope with it. I've been there and done that as the offspring. I could not knowingly allow them to endure it.

No

No.

Only if I had easy means to avoid the consequences of a negative verdict!

No - too chicken

Yes