Don't exclude the many years of experience with diagnosing and caring for patients with dementia that underlie these conclusions. There are tell-tale behaviors. And I can tell you from personal experience that once you've spent significant time with dementia patients, you're able to recognize the signs quite easily. - Sheila

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Tell me about it. My sainted Mother died at 95 and suffered dementia the last 7 or 8 years of her life. I was fortunate to be in a position to visit her in Memory Care at least once a week during that period so I got to observe her slow descent up close my self. I remember the first time she did not recognize me, it was only occasionally at first and then more or less all the time toward the end. I got used to it, just part of the process.

Anyway, getting back to dementia Don, I agree that his apparent energy, stamina, and focus at his rally's and interviews are an act to cover up his disability and this behavior can be easily spotted by an experienced eye.

I recall that sometimes, when I visited my Mother, I would find her engaged in similar behavior, absorbed in lengthy and witty conversations with a group her fellow residents gathered in the activity room at memory Care. She appeared pretty sharp, but I knew better.