My dad got Alzheimer's when I was in my 30s. Here's what I wish I'd known.

Kathleen Korpela wished she were more prepared for her father's diagnosis.

Kathleen Korpela Kathleen Korpela's dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer's when she was in her mid-30s.

She explains what she learned in the years since, including how to talk about it with her kids.

She said it was tough to navigate the transition from adult child to parenting her parent.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Kathleen Korpela, founder of Living Goldenwell.

The following has been edited for length and clarity.

My father was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in his early 70s, when I was in my mid-30s with a 4-year-old and a baby, getting ready to go back to work after maternity leave .

It was around eight years from my father's diagnosis until his passing in October 2024.

I learned how little support and resources there are for adult children stepping into supporting aging parents, and really how woefully unprepared people are for the eldercare phase .

So I founded Living Goldenwell in 2025 and created the Caregiving from the Middle program to provide comprehensive support, education, and guidance to women stepping into eldercare.

It was extremely challenging to navigate the transition from adult child to effectively parenting my parent .

It was definitely a challenge to navigate that dual role identity without losing myself.

Here's what I learned.

I wish my family and I had prepared ahead of time My brother and I had to quickly take action in developing an eldercare plan upon my father's diagnosis because we hadn't done the early planning steps, and we hadn't had the conversations that I really advise and advocate families to do.