My father sometimes yells profanities and has laughing or crying out bursts. Could Alzheimer's be causing these Tourette's-like symptoms?

There's another kind of dementia I haven't heard talked about much on this website.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frontotemporal_dementia
It is much more a behavioral problem, with swearing, gambling, major personality changes. Read up and see if that fits.

Lori that disease is called the Pamela disease, emphasis on the ladder describes me to a Tee :)

Sounds like a reaction to a psychotic medication.

If you know his medications and changes in medication you can go to www.drugs.com and look up drugs, interactions, side effects and such. Go to www.drugs.com and use MedNotes it is a wonderful free service.

I have found it very helpful in managing my dads medications and learning how they worked.