In the event that you have an elderly loved one who is showing some signs of limited capacity and you are concerned about the management of his or her financial affairs, it may be time to talk with your elderly loved one as well as his or her estate planning attorney about the next steps[...]
With an increasing number of Americans being concerned about their parents developing cognitive disabilities as they grow older, it is important to think carefully about how the estate planning process can be impacted when your family member develops dementia. Accomplish Estate Planning as Soon as Possible If you have not yet started the estate planning[...]
Long-term care resident surveys show that some 70% of dementia patients living in nursing homes exhibit significant psychological or behavioral problems. For years, those symptoms were treated with difficult antipsychotic drug regiments. Today, in a more enlightened age, antipsychotics have fallen into disfavor as a first-line dementia treatment and are less commonly prescribed (though many[...]
We’re always learning about new ways to ward off dementia. Here’s a surprising one: driving! A new study finds that driving a vehicle on a regular basis can reduce the risk of dementia in the elderly. Those who lose their license or choose to stop driving face much more rapid declines in physical and mental[...]
When superstar Robin Williams passed away last year, it was widely reported that the actor had claimed his own life, having lost his long battle with depression and substance abuse. Now, CNN reports, his wife has come forward to correct the record: it was actually dementia that is to blame. Even family members and close[...]
While the families are happy to hear a longer prognosis, those extra years with their loved ones come at a profound financial cost, climbing toward a million dollars in some cases. This month, USA Today explains how a dementia diagnosis can easily add up to $730,000 for a typical family. Consider the following: The national[...]
Most of the research on dementia patients’ experiences has focused on hospitals and nursing homes. After all, those are the easiest sites to study. But many of America’s dementia patients receive their care in the privacy of their own homes. So what is the experience like for them? View image | gettyimages.com GeriPal, a popular[...]
Inside Out is making waves in theaters worldwide, giving us all a touching new understanding of the roles our emotions play in our lives. Now, a new study concludes that those emotions may be directly linked to dementia and mental decline in the elderly. View image | gettyimages.com As Philly.com reports, the new study followed[...]
We all get old, but only some of us lose our memories along the way. Among the elderly, some have an incredibly strong grip on the past, while others struggle with forgetfulness or even severe memory-related diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia. View image | gettyimages.com Why the discrepancy? What separates those with strong memories from[...]
A growing body of scientific evidence is illuminating ways in which we might all be able to prevent Alzheimer’s — even if we’re predisposed toward dementia. Until now, most of those efforts have focused on physical activity and mental strengthening. Now there’s a whole new frontier in the battle against Alzheimer’s, but this particular vice might[...]