Category: Facts and Figures on Dementia

Worried about your Parent, their Forgetfulness, and Money?

MomandKay
Me with my Mom last Fall on our way out to shop at the grocery store.

If a parent or other loved one develops dementia, a risk that grows with age, finances can present a big problem. In fact, you may have to step in to make sure your mom or dad doesn’t  rack up credit card debt or even go broke.

That’s what happened to Kay Bransford, an author and entrepreneur in Virginia, after her mom and dad both developed dementia. When a home contractor tried to charge her parents more than $5,000 for needed repairs, more than five times the going rate, Bransford acted quickly to cancel the contract …

Read more: http://www.creditcardguide.com/creditcards/parents-and-finances/6-ways-to-deal-with-a-loved-ones-dementia-and-debt/#ixzz3pEA0WUAQ

Are Brain Game Claims Scientifically Proven?

brainimageWe have seen the commercials and wondered if the advertising claims were real. Turns out that scientists have put out a joint consensus stating the limited value of these brain games. The statement, spearheaded by the Stanford Center on Longevity and the Max Planck Institute for Human Development, formalizes concerns raised consistently over the years within the brain health community regarding the scientific validity of the claims made on behalf of the commercially available digital brain games. To learn more about this, visit Total Brain Health’s report: Show Me the Science: Leading Researchers Question Real Value of “Brain Games”

There are many studies that link dementia to lifestyle choices but I can’t ignore that the Alzheimer’s Association reports that age, family history, and heredity are the largest risk factors. I still believe what Dr. Oz and Dr. Green told me when I appeared on the Dr. Oz show and take Fish Oil supplements.

The snake oil salesman live on … whether it’s “hope in a jar” with a age-defying face cream, fish oil, or a “brain training” … the advertising claims appeal to our desire to live well. Let the buyer beware. Warned. 

The high cost of dementia care

bag of moneyI have been acutely aware of the cost of caring for my Mom who has multi-infarct dementia. The average monthly cost just for her Assisted Living community is $7,500. When she was exhibiting episodes of unbecoming behavior, we were required to hire additional assistance which cost $5,000 a month. That translates to $90,000 just for the community. Some months totaled $12,500. We are in the metro-DC area.

Thankfully, my parents planned well and my Mom has money to cover these expenses — for now. However, I don’t think they expected that the funds would have to be used to pay these kinds of fees. They bought into a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) believing they were buying into discounted care fees.

When we were told a few months ago that we might need to find a new home for my Mom by her community, we started to look around. We realize there are a wide variety of community options as well as range of fees. Given what I’ve found, I am not clear on what the very large down-payment did for their finances. I do know that the community support saved up from having to pursue guardianship of my parents when they didn’t recognize the impact of their changing cognitive abilities.

There is no perfect answer, but we can validate the reality of the high cost of dementia care. We are fortunate my parents planned — I can only imagine how much more difficult it would be if my Mom didn’t have the financial resources to find the right care. Wondered. 

Related articles:

The High Costs of Caring for Someone with Dementia by CBS News

 

Alzheimer’s Hitting Women the Hardest

drozshot
Dr. Oz is telling me how to minimize my risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Heredity hasn’t doomed me thankfully.

I was surprised to learn that Alzheimer’s is more likely to strike women in their 60s than breast cancer. Today, Alzheimer’s is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States.

Every 67 seconds someone in the United States develops Alzheimer’s disease, and it’s taking a heavier toll on women than men, according to new information released by the Alzheimer’s Association in March.

The “2014 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures” [PDF] report found that women age 65 have a one in six chance of developing the disease, a type of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking, and behavior. Meanwhile, men the same age have a one in 11 chance of developing the disease. Women in their 60s are also twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s than breast cancer over the rest of their lives.

The news release included information on how the disease is impacting women in the workplace differently as well. I found managing a full-time position and caring for my parents, my family and myself overwhelming. Those of us in the sandwich generation can’t argue with these figures:

The heavy toll Alzheimer’s takes on women also reaches into the workplace, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. Among caregivers who were also employed while providing care:
• Twenty percent of women, compared to 3 percent of men, went from working full-time to part-time.
• Eighteen percent of women, as opposed to 11 percent of men, took a leave of absence from work.
• Eleven percent of women versus 5 percent of men gave up work entirely.
• Ten percent of women compared to 5 percent of men lost job benefits.

To read the full story, visit Women Are Hardest Hit by Alzheimer’s Disease. Believed. 

To get some ideas on how to fight back, visit the Dr. Oz show from April 1, 2014. That’s me in the blue shirt talking with Dr. Oz.

 

Sharing the Story of Dementia through Pictures

I was recently sent a link to this “infographic” that sums up the large topic of dementia using pictures.

First, I want to reiterate that dementia is the umbrella term used to describe a variety of disease states — from Alzheimer’s to Vascular and even a symptom in some patients with Parkinson’s.

I made the request that they find a way to show the growth of Dementia — I feel as we are getting more education on the symptoms — many more families will find they are starting their journey with a loved one into the land of dementia. Shared.

Thank you to mba healthcare management and Riley for sharing this with me.

Dementia
Source: MBA-Healthcare-Management.com

Is Dementia More Pervasive?

getouttamyyardHaving two parents with dementia makes you wonder. Is it genetic, is it lifestyle or is it something else?

Yesterday, a fellow blogger asked “Is the Precipitous Rise in Dementia’s and Alzheimer’s Disease over the Last Twenty to Thirty Years Linked to LIfestyle?  It’ s a good read with some interesting facts about diabetes as well as the changes in our habits and food.

Earlier this week, the BBC reported Exercise ‘significant role’ in reducing risk of dementia, long-term study finds. They boiled it down to 5 key factors:

  1. regular exercise,
  2. not smoking,
  3. low bodyweight,
  4. healthy diet and
  5. low alcohol intake.

Exercise was the most heavily weighted factor.

In general, we should accept that our bodies are simply outliving our brains. Our life expectancy has increased by ten years since the 1960’s. Is it that the science has helped us qualify that personality changes and the loss of short-term memory are not normal signs of aging? I think it’s a multitude of factors that will take decades to unravel.

Most baby boomers are familiar with the jokes about old neighbors yelling at kids to get out of their yards. Many friends have shared stories about nutty things their grand-mothers would do. Has this been happening in those that age longer than medicine identified?

An aging brain works slower, but the outcome should be the same. We know that now. Informed. 

44 Million Caregivers in the U.S

replyhazyOne of the most striking realizations for me lately is how many of us are out there helping an aging loved one. In November 2012, the Alzheimer’s Association reported that 43.5 million care for someone 50+ years of age and 14.9 million care for someone with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia. 

Our system doesn’t work. I know my story is unusual because I had two parents with similar stages of dementia, but I just had to learn faster. Our problems were magnified. My parents either couldn’t recognize or wouldn’t admit their lives needed to change. It meant less freedom and they were unwilling to accept any assistance.The dementia crept in and eventually, they were unable to comprehend the situation.

My parent’s fully believed that selecting a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) would mean they would “never be a burden to their children.” You can wade through over 300 stories I have shared in the past two years on how difficult this journey has been. I imagine most children have a love/hate relationship with the place their parents are staying.

My parent’s were happy with their choice, and the day they were moved into Assisted Living removed a huge weight from my shoulders. I’m very appreciative of the way my parents CCRC handled the situation.

However, I’m not satisfied that we have found the right options. I spend 20 – 30 hours supporting and visiting my Mom many weeks of the year. I know that isn’t what they intended, but I’m duty-bound to provide.

How can we change this dynamic so we don’t keep making the same mistakes? Queried.

Please share in the comments section how you are approaching or have decided what to do for your most senior years. 

 

You can’t understand what you don’t hear – dementia and hearing loss

new york timesSeveral months ago I met a Doctor of Audiology who showed me a report discussing the relationship of hearing loss and dementia. A story was posted today on The New York Times by Katherine Bouton titled: Straining to Hear and Fend Off Dementia

My husband just shared this story with me and asked me if I had heard about this. I reminded him that “Yes, I do know about this. That is why I got my hearing checked a few months ago.”  I chalk this one up to cognitive overload (thank you honey).

I do recommend a hearing test to everyone in their late 40’s and older. At least as a benchmark. As a child, I’d get my hearing testing annually. As an adult, we have to be more proactive to get this test. My exam was fully covered by my insurance policy.

You can’t understand what you don’t hear. Tested.

Three friends, three moms with dementia?

This weekend was my 30th high school reunion. I had a chance to catch-up with two dear friends. Because we were high school buddies, we all knew each other’s parents.

The Alzheimer’s Association reports became very real to me this weekend. The latest Alzheimer’s Association report shares that 1 in 8 people who are 65 have some form of dementia. At 85, that figure is 1 in 2. While those figures are striking to me, I’m starting to comprehend how pervasive dementia is in our world today.

Both friends have parents in their mid-70s. I knew that my one friends mother had dementia because she purchased both the MemoryBanc Register and MemoryBanc Monograph several months ago. She has been keeping me up to date on what’s happening with her mom.

My other friend was listening to us talk about our parents and wondered if what she always considered “eccentricity” in her mom might really be dementia. I think most of us can relate to that. At first I wondered if I was just getting to know my mom better as an adult and now seeing some odd quirks I never recognized before.

While on vacation, she said her mom collected everyone’s underwear daily and washed it. They just went along with it, even though everyone was sure they had packed enough to make it through the trip. This was not a travel habit she had grown up with. She was happy to report that only one pair got singed too badly sitting next to a light bulb to make it home.

As we were talking she mentioned her mom has had some mini-strokes. I explained to her that those mini-strokes have most likely resulted in her mom having vascular dementia.

Three friends, with three mom’s with dementia in their 70’s. This problem is bigger even than I thought. Realized.

It Takes a Village to Age Them as well as Raise Them


With the Alzheimer’s Association reporting that 1 in 8 older Americans have dementia, it’s likely that this disease will impact all of our lives in some way – be it as the caregiver, loved one or the afflicted.

I have two parents with short-term memory loss, one of which has been diagnosed with dementia. My siblings and I have done two united interventions to ask them to consider making changes to their lives to stay safe. My parents say they will consider our request, but forget that my three siblings were even in town to visit within a few days, much less remember our concern. Letters and calls have been made, but there is no memory of these ongoing discussions or issues.

When we have made small changes, my parents have quickly unraveled them. So when we faced the reality of them driving their cars and writing checks, we moved to considering taking car keys, dismantling the alternator, closing their checking account and physically moving them into their retirement home. However, we know they would be able to quickly remedy each of these challenges, cause rifts as well as financial issues…and possibly a police report or two.

We went to their doctors to ask for help. Two of them made recommendations to stop driving, move into the retirement community and give up the checkbook. It wasn’t until we tried a third doctor that we found one armed with information, compassion and resources to help move us past the roadblock of their will.

My father is retired military and the local base hospital has put together a team with a care manager, social worker and an M.D., and called their legal team to understand how to best care and serve my parents. We are very early in the process to see how the medical team can assist us in this most unusual situation.

Having a couple that both have memory issues is pretty rare. We hope that this extended community will be able to help my parents age with dignity and grace. Prayed.

What we can learn from others dealing with Alzheimer’s

There are so many variations to our journeys but several emotions remain constant – sadness, fear, love, doubt, worry and hope.

Today I thought I would share some links to a variety of stories that gave me hope and let me better understand the choices that may lie in front of me and my siblings as we struggle to best assist my parents.

If you would like more news stories, I recommend you follow Butch who blogs on mom & dad care and regularly shares recent new stories.

Living alone with Alzheimer’s poses challenge for all
How one family is dealing with Mom’s insistence to stay in her home after a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s.

How I Got My Beloved, Demented Romanian Soul Mate to Move to a Nursing Home
A heart tugging story about making the tough decision to put her loved one in a nursing home and the positive outcome that resulted.

Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s isn’t always accurate
The journey for a diagnosis and some information on other factor’s that can create temporary delirium.

I you find this helpful. Informed.