My wife complained of memory loss for a long time (maybe a year or two) before I ever noticed anything (quite miminal). And I was paying attention. Highly educated people are often difficult to diagnose in the early stages without neuropsychological testing. My wife has a master's degree and taught school 40 years. She eventually fit the diagnosis of MCI, and 7-8 years later the short term memory loss and loss of executive function stand out, but she remains quite functional in knowing family and friends and ADLs, and even driving very short distances to familiar places. Dementia is a spectrum and the course is highly variable. You are correct (as of now) there is no cure and no treatments of consequence. I think our hope is in some medical breakthrough that might halt progression or reverse some of the brain changes. Ongoing research is crucial and I pray the current administration does not set us back too far in that regard 😢.