According to the researchers the benefits of taking the added vitamin supplements were modest.  “Still it is encouraging and good news for aging Americans who are living longer and want to minimize the risk of dementia or cognitive decline,” declares Jesse Slome, executiove director of the American Association for Long Term Care Insurance, the national trade group charged with creating awareness for long term care related issues.

Today, some 5.4 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease according to the 2011 Long Term Care Almanac published by the American Association for Long Term Care Insurance.  “Two thirds are women,” explains Jesse Slome, the organization’s director, “and most survive an average of four to eight years after diagnosis, though some live as long as 20 years.”  Alzheimer’s is the leading cause for long term care insurance claims.

By 2050, the Alzheimer’s Association predicts as many as 16 million individuals will be diagnosed with the disease.  They note that of Americans age 65 and over, one in eight has Alzheimer’s and that nearly half of all those who reach age 85 have the disease.

Researchers in Australia asked more than 700 people, aged 60 to 74 years, to take a daily dose of folic acid and vitamin B12 or placebos that resembled the vitamins. The study only included people who showed signs of depression, but were not diagnosed with clinical depression.

The vitamin dose included 400 micrograms of folic acid and 100 micrograms of vitamin B12. Scientists reported that after 12 months, there seemed to be no difference in how well participants scored on mental tests, including memory, attention and speed.

The researchers, however, reported that after two years the participants who were taking the real vitamins showed larger improvements in their scores on the memory tasks.    They noted however that for any given individual, there may or may not be an effect.

The scientists postulated that the reason for the changed results is that the vitamins reduce the body’s levels of a molecule called homocysteine, which is linked to cardiovascular disease and poor cognitive function.

Financial planning experts advise that adults in their 50s and young 60s with a family history of cognitive disorders including Alzheimer’s look into long term care insurance.  “Insurance is only available to those who can medically qualify,” Slome explains, “because the long term care insurance industry already pays out over $6 billion a year in claims, so they look for those who aren’t already diagnosed with some risky condition.”

To learn more about long-term care planning and get long term care insurance costs from a designated expert via the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance’s Consumer Information Center.

According to research findings, eating non-fried fish that includes baked and broiled fish helps to preserve gray matter neurons.  The scientists note that this strengthens the areas of the brain deemed critical to cognition and memory.

“Scientists report that people with larger brain volume the risk for Alzheimer’s and mild cognitive impairment went down with eating fish as little as one to four times a week. “We’re talking about just a half serving a day,” notes Jesse Slome, executive director of the American Association for Long Term Care Insurance.   ”We would encourage millions of aging Americans to make a very small lifestyle change that can affect their risk of this terrible disease.”

The number of U.S. adults aged 65 years and older is projected to nearly double over the next two decades, Slome, head of the national long term care insurance trade organization explains.  “As a result, the incidence of cognitive issues especially Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias is also expected to rise as will the need for costly long term care,” he adds.  Alzheimer’s disease is the number one reason individuals with long term care insurance file claims.

More than 5 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease the age-related disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking. Older adults with mild cognitive impairment have less severe memory loss than those with Alzheimer’s but often go on to develop the disease.

The scientists found that those who ate baked or broiled fish had larger mass in the hippocampus, and orbital frontal cortex regions of their brains.  This was regardless of age, gender, physical activity routines, and/or educational achievement, race or weight.  No benefit was evident with respect to consumption of fried fish.

Financial experts advise adults in their mid-50s to learn more about long-term care planning and get long-term care insurance costs from a designated expert.  Two free guides from the LTC association can be read online via the Association’s Consumer Information Center at http://www.aaltci.org/long-term-care-insurance/free-quote/.  Slome explains that the best ages to look into this protection is prior to age 65 when health issues including early diagnosis of cognitive issues can make it harder or more costly to medically qualify for coverage.

Researchers found that nursing home residents who actively participated in a weekly two-hour clowning session involving music, mime and humorous props showed a significant reduction in both physically and verbally aggressive behavior. 

“The number of U.S. adults aged 65 years and older is projected to nearly double over the next two decades,” explains Jesse Slome, executive director of the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance, the national trade organization.  “As a result, the incidence of cognitive issues especially Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias is also expected to rise as will the need for costly long term care.”

Scientists found that laughter resulted in a 20-percent plunge in overall agitation.  The benefit lasted for at least 14 weeks beyond the conclusion of the clowning program.  They noted an added bonus, the fact that change was achieved without running any of the risk of serious side effects, including falling and premature death, that have been previously associated with prescription antipsychotic drugs. 

The study authors noted that between 70 percent and 80 percent of dementia patients experience some form of agitation and distress, which can include bouts of wandering, screaming and repetitive behaviors. 

The scientists utilized the services of an elder clown who was trained to engage in humor-based therapy in a medical setting.  Sessions were conducted weekly and involved humorous improvisation skills, similar to those used by clown doctors who perform for sick children. 

While agitation remained lower 26 weeks following therapy launch, the boost in both happiness and positive behaviors seen during the program faded once the program ended. 

Jesse Slome, a national long-term care insurance expert advises adults in their mid-50s to learn more about long-term care planning and get long-term care insurance costs from a designated expert via the Association’s Consumer Information Center at http://www.aaltci.org/long-term-care-insurance/free-quote/.  He explains that the best ages to look into this protection is prior to age 65 when health issues including early diagnosis of cognitive issues can make it harder or more costly to medically qualify for coverage.

“The number of U.S. adults aged 65 years and older is projected to nearly double over the next two decades,” explains Jesse Slome, executive director of the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance, the national trade organization.  “As a result, the incidence of cognitive issues especially Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias is also expected to rise as will the need for costly long term care.”

According to Chicago researchers foods rich in vitamin B12 include those derived from animals and include, eggs, milk, liver, meat, and fish.  Vitamin B12 plays a key role in normal nervous system functioning and brain development. It is also involved in the formation of red blood cells.

Scientists undertook a study of individuals aged at least 65 years. They underwent blood tests to check for B12 and B12-related metabolites levels. They were also assessed for memory and other cognitive skills. Some five years later magnetic resonance imaging scans of their brains were taken to measure comparative brain size and to identify other signs of brain damage.

Those with four of five markers for vitamin B12 deficiency were found to have a higher risk of getting lower cognitive test scores and smaller total brain volumes.  The National Institute of Aging funded the study.

Vitamin B12 plays a key role in normal nervous system functioning and brain development. It is also involved in the formation of red blood cells. 

Planning experts advise those seeking to learn more about long-term care planning and get long-term care insurance cost contact a designated expert via the Association’s Consumer Information Center at http://www.aaltci.org/long-term-care-insurance/free-quote/.  They point out that the best ages to look into this protection is prior to age 65 when health issues can make it harder or more costly to medically qualify for coverage.

A new study published in the current issue of Neurology reaffirms previous research connecting the two illnesses.  According to the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance some 5.4 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease and as many as 16 million will have the disease by mid-century. 

The study of more than 1,000 Japanese adults found that 27 percent of those with diabetes developed dementia, compared to 20 percent of people with normal blood sugar levels.  The study also revealed that pre-diabetes, reported as higher than normal blood sugar levels. also raised the risk of dementia. 

The study, conducted from 1988 to 2003, followed over 1,000 men and women, age 60 and older, who took a glucose test to find out if they were diabetic or pre-diabetic. These adults were then tracked over an average of 11 years each. In all, 232 developed dementia, either Alzheimer’s, vascular dementia, all-cause dementia or another form. 

Of the 150 who had diabetes, 41 developed dementia, compared to 115 of the 559 people without diabetes. Among the 308 people with pre-diabetes, 76, or 25 percent, developed dementia. 

Diabetes affects close to 26 million children and adults in the United States, with 7 million of them undiagnosed, according to the American Diabetes Association.   “Another 79 million have pre-diabetes,” explains Jesse Slome, a leading long term care insurance expert.  “Obesity increases the risk of diabetes, and as Americans become heavier, more are developing diabetes and thus will be at greater risk of needing costly long term care.” 

In type 2 diabetics, the more common form of the disorder, people don’t have enough of the hormone insulin to convert glucose in food into energy, or they don’t process insulin properly. 

Planning experts advise those seeking to learn more about long-term care planning and get long-term care insurance cost contact a designated expert via the Association’s Consumer Information Center at http://www.aaltci.org/long-term-care-insurance/free-quote/.

According to researchers at the Mayo Clinic, aerobic exercise which is defined as any physical activity that raises heart rate and increases the body’s need for oxygen is good for preserving cognitive abilities and should be regarded as an important therapy against dementia.   Aerobic exercise includes walking, doing chores like shovelling snow and raking leaves. 

Cognitive decline and dementia including Alzheimer’s disease is a leading reason that aging women ultimately require costly long term care, according to Jesse Slome, executive director of the American Association for Long Term Care Insurance.  “Long term care insurance can pay for qualifying care at home or in a skilled nursing home but you must apply well before a decline in mental ability or physical health takes place,” he notes. 
Reserachers reviewed more than 1,600 scientific papers on the topic, 130 of which dealt directly with the issue.  They concluded that one can make a very compelling argument for exercise as a disease-modifying strategy to prevent dementia and mild cognitive impairment.

They point out that studies involving brain scans consistently show objective evidence of the benefits of exercise on preserving the integrity of the human brain.   Animal studies found that exercise produces trophic factors that improve the functioning of the brain, and it also increases connections between brain cells.

Patients with dementia or MCI had better scores after 6 to 12 months of exercise compared to sedentary controls.  Healthy adults who did aerobic exercise also showed significantly improved cognitive scores.

In one large trial of seniors, one year of exercise was linked to significantly larger hippocampal volumes and better spatial memory (cross-sectional studies comparing physically fit with unfit seniors appear to confirm this evidence).

The findings were published in this month’s issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

Planning experts advise those seeking to learn more about long-term care planning and get long-term care insurance cost contact a designated expert via the Association’s Consumer Information Center at http://www.aaltci.org/long-term-care-insurance/free-quote/.

According to medical researchers, sleep-disordered breathing is a condition where the person has recurrent arousals from sleep and intermittent hypoxemia.  “This condition can be common among older people and affects up to 60 percent of the elderly population,” explains Jesse Slome, director of the American Association for Long Term Care Insurance. 

Health experts report that the condition has been linked to various adverse health problems including hypertension, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.    Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, investigated the link between prevalent sleep-disordered breathing measured and the subsequent diagnoses of mild cognitive impairment and dementia.

The study tested nearly 300 women who were the average age of 82.3 years.  The participants were without dementia at the start of the study.  The participants’ cognitive status was ranked as normal, dementia, or mild cognitive impairment.  The study examined measures of hypoxia, sleep fragmentation and sleep duration as underlying mechanisms for any link between sleep-disordered breathing and cognitive impairment.

According to the study, some 35.2 percent of the tested women met the criteria for sleep-disordered breathing.   Nearly an equal amount, some 35.9 percent of the women, developed mild cognitive impairment (20.1 percent) or dementia (15.8 percent) after an average follow up of 4.7 years. The study revealed, 47 of women (44.8 percent) with sleep-disordered breathing acquired mild cognitive impairment or dementia in comparison with 31.1 percent of those without sleep-disordered breathing.

Cognitive decline and dementia is a leading reason that aging senior women ultimately require costly long term care, Slome acknowledges.  “Long term care insurance can pay for qualifying care at home or in a skilled nursing home but you must apply well before a decline in mental ability or physical health takes place,” he notes.  

Planning experts advise those seeking to learn more about long-term care planning and get long-term care insurance cost contact a designated expert via the Association’s Consumer Information Center at http://www.aaltci.org/long-term-care-insurance/free-quote/.

By benefitting verbal learning and retention reserachers conducting a study found that as a result of the program, seniors’ self-perceived memory improved.  They note that this was an important factor in maintaining a positive outlook on life while aging. 

“Normal age-related memory decline affects more than half of all seniors,” explains Jesse Slome, director of the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance and a leading long term care insurance expert.  “Seniors over age 80 are the most vulnerable so it is good to see that older adults who participated in a memory fitness program showed improvement.”  The age of study participants was an average of 81. 

Conducted at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA the study’s authors noted their findings demonstrates that it’s never too late to learn new skills to enhance one’s life.

The six-week UCLA program involved 12-session programs that differ from other cognitive training courses.  The UCLA program offered not only memory-training techniques but also education about lifestyle factors that may impact memory ability and overall brain health. Participants learned stress-reduction exercises and were instructed about the importance of daily physical exercise and maintaining a healthy diet rich in antioxidants.

This study involved 115 seniors at two full-service retirement communities in Maryland. Participants lived in the independent level of care in these communities and had memory complaints, but they had not been diagnosed with dementia and were not taking any medications for memory loss.

Half the participants were enrolled in the memory fitness program and received memory testing before beginning the program and after completion to assess improvement. The other half were placed on a waiting list for the program and acted as study controls.

Researchers noted that the UCLA team has offered similar programs at senior centers and on the UCLA campus.  They reported that this is one of the first times that such a comprehensive memory program has been designed for and offered in a retirement living community.

The one-hour education sessions focused on memory enhancement.  Among the older adults attending the classes, the researchers found marked improvement in verbal memory, as well as improvements in how they perceived their memory, compared with the controls. 

Cognitive decline is a leading reason that aging senior ultimately require costly long term care, Slome acknowledges.  “Long term care insurance can pay for qualifying care but you must apply well before a decline in mental ability or physical health takes place,” he notes.  Financial planning experts advise those seeking to learn more about long-term care planning and get long-term care insurance cost contact a designated expert via the Association’s Consumer Information Center at http://www.aaltci.org/long-term-care-insurance/free-quote/.

According to the new study conducted by Brown University researchers the nationwide trend results from changing demographics and disparities in what people can afford.

“Over the past decade more minorities are receiving nursing home care,” explains Jesse Slome, executive director of the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance.  “Often that is simply because Medicaid forces those without assets into a nursing home facility while those with the ability to pay now prefer to receive care at home.”

The authors of the stude appear to agree suggesting that the growing proportion of minorities in nursing homes is coming about partly because they do not have the same access to more desirable forms of care as wealthier whites do, said the study’s lead author Zhanlian Feng, assistant professor of community health in the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.

“Seemingly, we are closing the gap in terms of minority access to nursing home beds, but I don’t think that is something to celebrate,” Feng said. “They are really the last resort. Most elders would rather stay in their homes, or some place like home, but not a nursing home unless they have to.”

The new analysis finds that between 1999 and 2008 the number of Americans in nursing homes shrank by 6.1 percent to just over 1.2 million people. Over that same time period the number of whites in nursing homes decreased by 10.2 percent nationwide, while the number of blacks rose 10.8 percent, the number of Hispanics rose by 54.9 percent and the number of Asians rose by 54.1 percent.

The study authors note that prior research has shown that nursing homes located in predominately minority areas often are of lower quality and are more likely to close.   “People will increasingly understand that long-term care insurance is actually nursing home avoidance insurance,” Slome adds.  “If you want choice and control over where you or a loved one will ultimately receive care, you will need the ability to pay the cost or have it covered by insurance.”

“In any given year, some 40,000 insurance and financial professionals market long-term care insurance protection nationally,” explains Jesse Slome, AALTCI’s organization’s executive director.  “Those who are the most successful and committed to protecting the lives and financial well-being of consumers are most deserving of this recognition.” 

The industry awards recognize top producers for sales in categories including individual placed premium, multilife long-term care insurance premium as well as LTC hybrid products.  The complete listing of award recipients is published in the Association’s Long-Term Care Insurance Sourcebook.  In 2009, a new category was added to recognize producers who first began selling LTC insurance during the year.

2010 Top-10 Long-Term Care Insurance Producers (based on placed individual premium):

1.     Jay Rosen, Rosen Insurance Agency, Wellington, FL
2.       Paul LeWinter, ACSIA Long-Term Care Inc., Miami, FL
3.     Paul Isenberg, Long Term Care Advisors, W. Warwick, RI
4.     Richard Brief, Long Term Care Resources, Warren, NJ
5.     Anthony Stratidis, MS Consulting Group, Westbrook, CT
6.     Pattianne Baran, LTC Financial Partners, Lakewood, CT
7.     Matthew Brotherton, John Hancock, Richmond, VA
8.     Wayne Reynolds, ACSIA Long-Term care Inc., Concord, OH
9.     David Jeffrey, Genworth Financial, San Francisco, CA
10.     Sam Lowy, Lakewood, NJ

2010 Top MultiLife Long-Term Care Insurance Producers (premium)

1.     Jerry Manning, J. Manning & Associates, Chicago, IL
2.       Anthony Stratidis, MS Consulting Group, Westbrook, CT
3.     Steve Cain, LTCI Partners, Woodland Hills, CA

2010 Top Life + LTC Producers (premium)

1.     Brad Tisdale, Capstone Financial Assurance, Goleta, CA
2.       George Leamon, Lutgert Insurance, Naples, FL
3.     Richard Cohen, Aspen Cross Financial Group, Amherst, NH

2010 Top Annuity + LTC Producers (premium)

1.     Brad Tisdale, Capstone Financial Assurance, Goleta, CA
2.       Michael Tavel, Dunlap Tavel Wealth Management, Fishers, IN
3.     Ilan Koren, Long Term care Protection Choices, Wynnewood, PA

The 2010 Long-Term Care Insurance Rookie of the Year (individual placed premium)

Kurt Lauman, LTC Financial Partners, Kirkland, WA

Established in 1998, the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance is the national association serving insurance and financial professionals who provide long-term care financing solutions.   For information on obtaining copies of the 2011 LTC Insurance Sourcebook call (818) 597-3227.