Family history affects your chances of developing Alzheimer’s disease — but not that much, Harvard Health says. Your age plays a much larger role in whether you’ll develop Alzheimer’s. And it’s not worth it to be tested for the “Alzheimer’s gene,” says a neurology professor at the university: “It’s not going to be helpful, since it won’t tell you whether you will develop the disease. It will only tell you if you are at a greater or lower risk.”

Here’s what Harvard Health recommends if a family member is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s:

• Contact the Alzheimer’s Association (alz.org). Find out about resources available to help you and your family. State and county agencies may also be able to help.
• Plan for the future. This includes legally designating someone to make healthcare and financial decisions for the affected person when he or she can’t.
• Investigate long-term care options. Nursing care is expensive, and finding a good place can take time. Start early.
• Take care of physical health. People with dementia who live a healthy lifestyle tend to progress more slowly to the later stages.
• Steer away from genetic testing. Even if you have the APOE Alzheimer’s risk gene, it usually doesn’t mean you will develop dementia later in life.

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