“With good accuracy Swedish researchers studied over 50,076 patients,” shares Jesse Slome, director of the long-term care insurance organization.   Patients with dementia were followed starting in 2007 for a maximum of 9.7 years.

The researchers reported that the median survival time from dementia diagnosis was 5.1 years for women and 4.3 years for men,” Slome shared.  Dementia and Alzheimer’s accounts for the most common reason individuals with long-term care insurance claim benefits.  In some cases, they can amount to long-term care insurance claims that in total have exceeded hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Median survival time varied by the age at which the condition was discovered.  For example, for men, the median survival time was 6.1 years for men diagnosed between ages 65 and 75, 4.4 years when diagnosed between ages 75 and 85 and 2.8 years when diagnosed after age 85.  For women, the survival time was 7.5 years, 5.6 years and 3.6 years respectively.

“If you live a long life, the likelihood of dementia or Alzheimer’s increases exponentially and the importance of having some long-term care insurance in place is vital,” states Slome.  “The new findings from these researchers can help insurance agents better educate consumers in terms of how much coverage they may need.”  The researchers said the results are nearly identical to those of a similar study in the United Kingdom.

The Association director stressed that long-term care planning needs to begin well before there is the risk of needing care.  “Far too many people call the Association once their parent has been diagnosed with some condition and their doctor suggests they look into insurance,” Slome admits.  “Unfortunately even physicians don’t understand that long-term care insurance is only available to those who can still meet health qualifications and pass cognitive assessments.”

“If you are worried about what will happen should you ever get Alzheimer’s, the smart move is to talk to a long-term care insurance specialist to find out if you can currently qualify and how much insurance protection will cost,” Slome advises.

To learn more about long-term care planning visit the Association’s website or to connect with a specialist who can explain both traditional and hybrid products contact the Association via their website or call 818-597-3227.

The post New Alzheimer’s Prediction Tool Can Help With Long-Term Care Insurance Planning appeared first on American Association for Long Term Care Insurance.

“It is my pleasure to speak to caregivers serving consumers and families with a member suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease,” shared Slome, AALTCI’s director.  “This disease ravages millions of Americans and impacts their families and loved ones.”

As part of the presentation, Slome shared an overview of the role played by long-term care insurance, conveyed the latest data regarding long-term care insurance buyers and claimants.  “Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and related dementia issues comprise the largest claims that long-term care insurers pay every year,” Slome noted.  “If you live a long life, the chances of needing long-term care increase significantly as does the risk of suffering from AD.  There are so many long-term care insurance professionals who have been personally touched by this and thereby become passionate advocates for this important protection.”

The presentation What Caregivers Should Know About Long-Term Care Insurance is available for viewing online via the Alzheimer’s Federation website.  To access go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=394&v=uayU-PXb4FQ.

The American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance advocates for the importance of long-term care planning.   Established in 1998, the organization connects consumers with knowledgeable professionals who are independent advisors for no-cost, no-obligation long-term care insurance quotes and policy comparisons.

The post Alzheimer’s Foundation Caregivers Hear From Long-Term Care Insurance Association Director appeared first on American Association for Long Term Care Insurance.

“Alzheimer’s disease care costs Americans roughly $200 billion a year is the leading cause for the most expensive long term care insurance claims,” declares Jesse Slome, executive director of the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance.  The leading industry expert was sharing planning information with insurance professionals in conjunction with the upcoming Long Term Care Awareness Month.

The life span of people with Alzheimer’s disease depends greatly on the age of the person when Alzheimer’s disease is first diagnosed, Slome noted.   “While the median survival of patients with Alzheimer’s disease could range from between eight-to-nine years for persons diagnosed at age 65 it decreases significantly to approximately 3 years for persons diagnosed at age 90 years,” Slome explained.

Researchers report that the median survival time for those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s ranged from 8.3 years for people diagnosed at age 65 to 3.4 years for people diagnosed at age 90.    According to Slome’s analysis of scientific data, individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease at age 65 could anticipate a 67 percent reduction in life span compared to those without Alzheimer’s disease.

The researchers also reported that the average length of time between the onset of symptoms and the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease was 2.8 years. However, they did not find any significant differences between men and women in survival after diagnosis of the disease.

Experts predict that in the next 50 years, the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease will quadruple with approximately 1 in 45 Americans living with the disease.   ”It is vital for more Americans between ages 50 and 65 to become aware of the risk and to plan for this risk, including looking into long term care insurance,” Slome concludes.

Established in 1998 as a non-profit trade group, the American Association for Long Term Care Insurance advocates for the importance of planning for long term care and supports insurance and financial professionals who market LTC insurance.  To learn more about long term care insurance costs call the organization’s offices at (818) 597-3227 or visit the Association’s website.

The post Long Term Care Insurance Expert Discusses Alzheimer’s Life Expectancy appeared first on American Association for Long Term Care Insurance.

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.

The post Memory Boost Reported From Taking B Vitamins appeared first on American Association for Long Term Care Insurance.

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.

The post Less Risk Of Alzheimer’s Found Among Fish Eaters appeared first on American Association for Long Term Care Insurance.

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 post Comedy Is Good Medicine For Alzheimer’s Patients appeared first on American Association for Long Term Care Insurance.

“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.

The post Low Vitamin B12 Linked To Cognitive Decline In Elderly appeared first on American Association for Long Term Care Insurance.

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/.

The post Study Links Diabetes With Dementia And Long Term Care Insurance Risk appeared first on American Association for Long Term Care Insurance.

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/.

The post Aerobic Exercise Reduces Dementia Long Term Care Risk appeared first on American Association for Long Term Care Insurance.

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/.

The post Sleep Disorders Lead To Increased Dementia Risk And Long Term Care Need appeared first on American Association for Long Term Care Insurance.