I was responsible for a specialty dementia unit for many years.  One of the things that struck me was how calm people became once they stopped fighting the disease, and how they, too, lived in the moment. Initially they would struggle to remember what happened before and what was to come. It caused a great deal of stress and apprehension, and medication was often required to ease their anxiety. But as the illness progressed and people stopped fighting, they began to live in the moment too. They could still enjoy a sunny day, a joke, the relaxing power of music and a kind word. One of the most fascinating things to see was how a group of women with Alzheimer's interacted with each.  They sat round a table, smiled and chatted.  Everything looked normal until you actually listened to the conversation which never made the slightest sense. Yet they were socializing and pleasantly passing the time living from moment to moment.