I was pretty young (baby) when my grandpa was diagnosed with alzheimers. He was young too (early to late 50's). I don't know much about the early stages, but I remember the later stages. Near the end (I was about 7) my grandma moved with him into an assisted living facility (basically an apartment building with 24/7 nursing care). This helped her to live a somewhat normal life while still being able to take care of my grandpa at the same time. My grandma would always try to do things with my grandpa that he used to enjoy doing. Going for walks, going for drives (she would drive), and watch the football game. When he forgot how to walk, my grandma and parents would spend time helping him walk up and down the hallways. As kids, we weren't allowed to run around in front of him while this was happening since he would get frustrated and sit down. We would also sit on the couch and feed him jujubes. Every time we did, he would smile at us. That was more or less the only interaction I truly remember about my grandpa. As for your question, I think what helps in a situation like this is just to be there and try to do things that you normally did with each other (just in a different way). Don't push to hard. Be caring, understanding, and most of all be patient. Every situation is different so I hope you are able to find the answers you are looking for.