Mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer's based on symptoms and an MRI showing plaques in her brain. Why is she confused one day and fine the next?

Thank you all for your reponses and information!! They helped a lot! Countrymouse, yes, we have visited several memory care facilities. The one I mention is #1 and we are on the waiting list. We do plan to take her for a tour although the head person says that it's usually not a good idea. I want to keep Mama in the loop and listen to what she wants as long as possible.

I plan to spend a lot of time on this wonderful forum!! Thanks again, Y'all!!

Its called fluctuating mentation. Very common and can throw you for a loop. This is a wonderful resource. Many caring people who have walked in your shoes. They helped me and so many others. Stick around. Read. Ask questions. Welcome.. Take a really deep breath.

nannybrister .. Hello!... I think there are a few reasons, for your question. I have witnessed many types of dementia with different people and personalities, so I speak from experience and witnessing. With that said.... I try to look at simple explanations, in which, for some reason, most people do not. For example: if you are not sleeping well, you don't think as clearly as you do when you are well rested, right? If you wake up in an unfamiliar place, say as a vacation, it takes you a while to get adjusted, it also takes longer to do your morning routine, right? Nothing is a routine or familiar so that's a bit stressful, right? Stress itself is a contributor to confusion. These are just examples of why rest, routine, very little change, reduced stress is better for anyone for thinking.

I think it's in the normal range to go up and down in capabilities.

You do get these ups and downs in Alzheimer's Disease, specifically - it's often contrasted with vascular dementia, which tends to go downhill in more abrupt steps followed by plateaux with no noticeable change.

alz.org is a very good source of information about the various types of dementia and how they progress.

How much interest has your mother taken so far in her diagnosis? Does she accept it, broadly speaking?

If she didn't react badly to the brochure and she isn't in active denial about the disease, perhaps you could back up your proposal that she go and look at the facility with (gently presented) information about getting ahead of the curve, and by pointing out that it is much easier to adjust to a new home if you walk into it as a mainly self-sufficient person. Have you been to visit the memory care facility yourself?