Extended Family History of Alzheimer’s May Increase Your Risk

If you have a family member who has Alzheimer's or some other form of dementia, you might be wondering if you have a higher risk of having dementia yourself. 

More people in the United States and worldwide now have dementia than ever before. Most experts suggest that longevity is the primary driver for the higher rates of Alzheimer's and dementia. 

When you have dementia, it is a crisis for you and the family. Your family and finances will be affected, especially if you have no plan to address the high costs and related family burdens of memory loss and other aging-related health problems.

Family History Increases Dementia Risk

Family history research shows that if you have a first-degree relative diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, your risk of developing it increases by 30%. A first-degree relative includes parents and siblings. 

If you have multiple first-degree relatives with Alzheimer's, the risk of developing Alzheimer's in your lifetime increases above average. 

Sometimes it may skip a generation, so understanding your grandparent's health history can be helpful. However, consider that life expectancy was less in previous generations, so family members may not have lived long enough to develop the disease. 

Any disease, including Alzheimer's and other dementias, that runs in families will be due to genetics (hereditary factors), environmental factors, or both. However, Alzheimer's Association says family history is not necessary for an individual to develop Alzheimer's.

Extended Family History Also Increases Alzheimer's Risk

Recent research shows that looking at family history from an expanded view may give us a better view of potential risk.

Lisa Cannon-Albright, Ph.D., professor and Program Leader of Genetic Epidemiology at the University of Utah Health, said the research team was surprised to learn that even third-degree relatives affected the risk.

Second-degree relatives refer to grandparents/grandchildren, blood-related aunts and uncles and nieces, nephews, and siblings who share one parent. Third-degree relatives include first cousins, great-grandparents/great-grandchildren, great uncles, great aunts, great-nieces, and great-nephews.

"We were able to find that the risk for developing Alzheimer's was significantly increased for each additional relative affected by the disease," Cannon-Albright said.

"It's interesting to think about the fact that shared genes are enough to show that your risk is affected." 

The research results show the risk of an individual with one first-degree relative and one second-degree relative diagnosed with Alzheimer's is 21 times greater than the population rate for developing the disease. 

In addition, an individual with a negative history of Alzheimer's among first-degree relatives but positive history among three or more second-degree relatives still have a two-fold increase in risk and a 17–44 percent increase in risk for those with two or more third-degree relatives. 

Multiple first-degree relatives with a dementia history can prevent a person from obtaining Long-Term Care Insurance from some companies. They have started to use some limited amounts of family history in their underwriting. 

Dementia Care Costly and Usually Not Covered by Health Insurance & Medicare

Health insurance and Medicare (including supplements) will not pay for most long-term care costs, including supervision required by many people who are inflicted with Alzheimer's. 

The LTC NEWS Cost of Care Calculator shows that care costs continue to rise nationwide, although the costs are lower in some areas of the country than in others. 

Experts suggest reviewing family medical history to determine if you have a higher-than-average risk for dementia. 

People Need Long-Term Health Care for Many Reasons

People require long-term care services and supports for many reasons, in addition to Alzheimer's and other dementias. Planning for the future costs and burdens of aging is essential for retirement planning. Affordable Long-Term Care Insurance may be one of the tools you use to safeguard assets and reduce family stress and anxiety as you get older.

The greatest known risk factor for Alzheimer's and other dementias is increasing age. Longevity is not a direct cause of Alzheimer's; however, most people with the disease are 65 and older.

More women than men suffer from cognitive decline; however, it is unknown if this is just because women live longer than men. Science has discovered other risk factors, but keep in mind that many people have dementia without any specific risk factors. 

Some of these risk factors include:

• Family history
• Vascular injury
• Inflammatory diet
• Chronic stress and sleep problems

Providing Care for Someone With Dementia is Difficult

Being a caregiver for someone with Alzheimer's or other dementia is emotionally and physically exhausting, even more so for a family member. Family caregivers are typically untrained and unprepared for this demanding job.

Since health insurance, including Medicare (and supplements), will not pay for dementia care and most forms of long-term health care, many families find themselves in crisis trying to provide care for a loved one or pay for the required professional care. 

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) offers several tips for family caregivers who must care for a loved one with memory problems. Those with Alzheimer's and dementia have difficulty with everyday thinking and reasoning, in addition to forgetfulness. This means the care recipient needs to be supervised. But as their memory declines and the disease progresses, the care recipient will require help with daily living activities and everyday tasks and cannot be left alone. 

Another problem for family members caring for a loved one with dementia is communication. Not only is their ability for reasoning affected, but their language abilities are also impacted where they have trouble finding the right words or have difficulty speaking.

If the care recipient is being cared for at home or at a loved one's home, safety is another concern. Removing hazards and adding safety features around the home is essential to their safety. Simple safety measures can allow the care recipient more freedom to move around independently and safely.

See a complete list of tips and ideas for families with a loved one with Alzheimer's or dementia by visiting NIH's site - Tips for Caregivers and Families of People With Dementia (alzheimers.gov)

Are You Prepared for Aging and Changing Health and Dementia?

Professional long-term health care is costly, be it in-home care or facilities like assisted living, memory care, or nursing homes. Remember that you are responsible for paying for long-term care unless you have little or no income and assets; in that case, Medicaid will pay. 

Many American families consider Long-Term Care Insurance as a solution to ensure they have quality care in the future without draining their assets or creating a burden on their loved ones. 

However, you cannot purchase a Long-Term Care Insurance policy if you have Alzheimer's, for example. You must have reasonably good health to obtain coverage. Most people obtain coverage in their 50s when they still enjoy adequately good health and premiums are still affordable. 

Seek the assistance of a qualified and trusted Long-Term Care Insurance specialist to help you navigate the many options available. Be ready to share your family history as you discuss the available options.

Some insurance companies will use family history, to some extent, in their underwriting process. Be sure to share family history when considering Long-Term Care Insurance since every insurance company has its own underwriting guidelines. 

Lifespans are expanding, which means we will all suffer from some health decline, including memory loss. These changes in our health, body, and mind mean many of us will need help with daily activities or supervision due to memory loss. 

Avoid a family crisis as you plan your future retirement, including addressing long-term health care.