If you want kids you should have them. You can let fear of the ifs keep you from doing that. I say this being generally opposed to children as well lol

Yes, but I'd adopt if I thought it was inheritable. Raising kids doesn't have to mean giving birth to them.

There have been some major strides in treatments that slow and/or halt the progression of Alzheimer's recently. I would think that in the next 30-50 years it would be a much more manageable disease.

I understand the concern of passing it down, but there is always adoption or sperm/egg donation, if you still wanted to be a parent. Honestly, nothing is guaranteed. You could die of something else long before Alzheimer's could develop, or you could live to 100 in perfect health. Most of us will fall somewhere in between.

I wouldn't let something like that stop you from starting a family if it's what you really want in life.

I have strictly instructed my family, including my wife, that if I ever develop alzheimers I want to be euthanized. If I am sufficiently lucid at the point of diagnosis I will have no problem overdosing on something and going out in peace.

Hell No. why hand that crap on to someone else. If I want kids I’d adopt.

From your other replies it seems like you're unsure you want kids in any case, but if you do there's a simple thought experiment here: do you wish your father hadn't had you? If not, it's reasonable to think your children would be just as grateful to be alive as you are, sick dad or not.

This is the main reason I have not had children. I am almost 100% guaranteed to get Alzheimer's in the pretty near future. Having watched countless of my family members go through the absolutely heart wrenching process of Alzheimer's progression, I can't in good conscience have children (so far anyway, I'm not 100% on it) for two reasons:

• I don't want to put them through the grueling process of caring for, and dealing with someone dying from Alzheimer's

• While it's not guaranteed obviously, I don't want to doom a child to a very very good chance of getting Alzheimer's at some point in their lives.

There is of course a chance for a treatment to be developed but they've been saying that for decades and haven't really come up with much of anything so far.

You could probably adopt. That's always an option

There might be a cure for Alzheimer’s when you turn 65, medicine is advancing pretty rapidly now.

I wouldn’t have kids regardless. So…. No- I wouldn’t.

How inheritable is it (50-50%)? How certain is that fate? How old are you?

I would not count it as an absolute no. 65 years of life is better than many get, and everyone has something bad in their genetics.

Also, you seem to care and that is rare. As you care, that is a plus for you raising someone. Maybe not your generic kids, but someone.

I have a friend who suffers from severe depression, inherited from his parents, and he definitely blames them for deciding to have kids when he feels they should have known what hell he would suffer for it.

But this is completely different. You have plenty of time to raise your kids before it affects you, if it ever does. If they inherit the predisposition, they have plenty of time to lead amazing lives before it strikes. It's a miserable thing that may or may not happen towards the end of life but we all have to deal with miserable things.

You can't live your life in a way that avoids all of those miserable things. I have another friend who spends a quite unreasonable amount of mental energy trying to avoid bad consequences and it is honestly ridiculous how many much worse things that happen as a result.

That said, you say elsewhere that your partner does not want kids. You have to decide whether the relationship is strong enough to accept that. Are you looking for reasons why you should feel happy about it? Do you have a burning desire for children or is it just something that you assumed would happen because that's how it works for most people?

Big decisions to make. But none of them have a whole lot to do with Alzheimer's. If you do have kids, and you treat them well, they're going to be devastated no matter when you die, or what kills you. That's not a reason to deny them, or you, the joy that makes it so devastating. Grief is the price we pay for love.

Parental love might or might not be something you want or need in your life. That's a question only you can answer.

This thread makea me think of dark souls 1, where Siglinde of Catharina had to kill her father as he went hollow.

But seriosly, you seem like quiet a good parent, maybe adopt children, if you don't want them to have bad odds of getting Alzheimer. Also realisticly your partner would be the first person who'd take care of you.

Definitely. They'll be able to survive without me at that age and I'll have my genes carry on. Not like they'll last long with climate change anyways.

Absolutely not, what a cruel thing to do that would be, knowingly and willingly putting the risk and the needed care on an unborn child.

I don't want to have children, but if I knew I was going to get Alzheimer's at 65 I would plan to leave this world at 64.

If I'm 64? No way. If I'm 30? I don't see why not.

No. Don't do that to your kids.

As a person who doesn't want kids anyway, I might not be the target audience of your question, but I will weigh in regardless.

There are two components here:

1. Bringing someone to existence when they are likely to inherit this terrible disease.

2. Having your children experience seeing their parent with this disease.

You don't have to subscribe to anti-natalism to decide that it would be better to not have kids in this situation.

You could however, if you still want to raise children, but don't want to worry about #1, you can adopt. Plus you will spare yourself/your partner the pain and risk of pregnancy and childbirth, while at the same time give a family to a child who has none. Problem #2 will still be there, but depending on the age of the kid you adopt, they won't be as young when/if you develop the symptoms and therefore might be better equipped to handle that.

No

I lost my grandmother and dad to Alzheimer's. I feel like it's probably in my future, as well. It's a miserable disease that makes me question a lot of end-care practices and my wife & I are absolutely going to have some strategies in place, but to answer your question we already have 3 beautiful children that I can't imagine life without (pretty sure there's an Alzheimer's joke in there, somewhere). I certainly don't want to put them through what I saw with my Dad, but I also wouldn't want to have missed out on all the wonderful experiences I've had/will have with them on account of a "what if".

Ultimately, the choice is yours to make but you're clearly putting a lot of worthwhile thought into it and I'm sure whatever you decide will be the best choice for you. I'm sorry about your dad & sister, and if you ever need someone to talk to I'm here.

@cygnus_velum

Yes.

There isn't much that could make me not want to have kids.

...

I actually already have children. It is one of the best things I have ever done in my life.

Absolutely without doubt. I am male 46 year I have a son (19) and daughter (22). I promise that if I randomly pick a happy moment out of my life it will include my kids, I smile when I think about them and I miss them when now that they are back at school. When I think, well they are now living their own lives now and not around as much, I remember how proud I am of them and what they are accomplishing.

As for me getting Alzheimer's at 65, my thoughts would be to enjoy my children and hopefully grandchildren till I no longer can function. Then it's time to "step away", no need to be living without life. All that life is, memories and future expectations.

As for the kids potentially inheriting it I'd have to say life is a crap shoot but they would have many years to enjoy that life if that were the case. I know they would have the strength to deal with it. After all life is what you make it with a few bonus curve balls and sliders to keep you on your toes.

Another thought on your children dealing with parents falling ill at an advanced age (65 and above?? I guess). They will get over it, it hurts but it's one of those inevitable things of life that you are hard wired to deal with.

Don't let a potential future issue rob you of the enjoyment of the present.

No.

If I knew I will definitely not get Alzheimer's? Also no.

I've had a pretty tough time with our kid and our test has always been.

If that happened today, would I wish she wasn't here. So far the answer is always an unresounding no.

Of course I would. Even if I knew I’m getting it in 10 years after having kids.. Because I want to make sure they learn from the person (me) who loves them more than himself. I want them to prepared for the crazy ideas out there. I want to raise them with love. I want to tell them the truth about the lies that unfortunately so many people are believing. I want to prepare them to understand the life, and face when they have to.