Memory Walk for 98-year-old Louise

Despite her diagnosis eight years ago, 98-year-old Louise Robbins will be having none of that talk about Alzheimer's.

"There is nothing wrong with me," she tells her family.

And she's not alone.

Many people with the disease that attacks the brain, resulting in impaired memory, thinking and behaviour, can't fathom that there is anything wrong.

So Mrs Robbins's family members do their best to make her life as normal as she believes it to be.

Saturday was just another family day out for Mrs Robbins as she sat in the sun watching her daughter, granddaughter and great-granddaughter join 500 others on a charity walk.

The three generations helped the  Illawarra Memory Walk  rake in more than $20,000 to support people with dementia, their carers and families.

"We did the two-kilometre walk but next year we will go seven," Mrs Robbins' daughter and full-time carer Marilyn Tisdell said yesterday.

"Mum sat and watched with a friend. She has Alzheimer's but she won't hear of it. She has her good days, she even spelt out her name for the photographer, we were surprised by that," Mrs Tisdell said.

"Other times she's not too good, a lot of mood changes and depression and she can be delusional and have hallucinations."

Mrs Robbins lives in Kiama with her daughter and grandson.

"Mum was living in Riverwood on her own, then we noticed different things like her leaving the stove on, she was very forgetful with days and times, those sorts of things," she said.

While there is no cure for Alzheimer's disease, support can make a positive difference to managing the condition.

"A diagnosis really helps because you know why these things are all happening, but it still doesn't make it easy," Mrs Tisdell said.

"Watching someone you love deteriorate is really hard.

"Fortunately mum is very healthy in other ways."

Mrs Robbins's family has her 100th birthday party to focus on.

"With family alone, there will be 60 guests," Mrs Tisdell said.