(This article appeared previously on AlzheimersReadingRoom.com.)

When you work in dementia care, people tend to ask you a lot of questions. Probably one of the most common questions that I hear is, “Are you afraid to get dementia when you’re older?”

Honestly, there are many things that scare me much more than dementia does. Don’t get me wrong: dementia is a terrible group of diseases. I've been fortunate, however, to see many of the beautiful moments that people with dementia can experience.

Just in case I do get dementia, I've written a list of 16 rules I’d like to live by.