Can Mom’s Dementia Be Fixed?

An estimated 5.7 million Americans of all ages are living with Alzheimer's dementia in 2018. This number includes an estimated 5.5 million people age 65 and older and approximately 200,000 individuals under age 65 who have younger-onset Alzheimer's. Plus, ether are many other forms of dementia. The is a tremendous impact on American families.

The cost of supervision for those in cognitive decline is high. Some people must be cared for in a facility and those costs can be even higher. The emotional impact on the family is hard to fathom unless you have gone through it. But what if your Mom or Dad does not really have dementia at all?

There are a number of other health issues which can mimic dementia. Addressing the health issue could return memory to the person. Boomer to Boomer Online mentions a few.

The Fake Dementia List

• Loss of sight and hearing capacity can confuse and isolate old people;
• Getting insufficient oxygen to the brain causes temporary and fixable dementia;
• Maybe there’s a cancer tumor working somewhere in the body;
• Being in hospital often causes temporary dementia in an elder, which may well pass back at home in a few weeks;
• Dehydration increases dementia;
• Open-heart surgery saves lives but also results in cognitive damage in 33 percent of patients;
• Severe vitamin deficiency, not uncommon in elders with limited dietary choices, causes temporary dementia which can be helped;
• Too much medication of the wrong kind or just too many medications mixing inside one person can cause the appearance of dementia. Be especially suspicious if a new medication preceded the dementia signs.

The key is to make sure your elder family member’s doctor makes a correct diagnosis and rules out other reasons your love don may appear to be suffering from dementia. Even younger women, going through menopause, will sometimes suffer dementia type symptoms. Appropriate hormone replacement can take care of the issue.

This doesn’t mean your family members or you, in the years to come, will not have to be concerned about cognitive decline. The fact is longevity requires an advance plan. The financial costs and burdens of aging impact savings and income in addition to the impact on family members. The solution for planning is easy and affordable: Long-Term Care Insurance.

These special insurance policies will provide you with tax-free benefits to pay for care, either at home or in a facility. It will safeguard assets and protect income, which is important for the lifestyle of your spouse/partner. Some people hate to think about buying an insurance policy. Some think it is expensive. Some people even think long-term care will never happen to them. The fact is we need to address the real issues of longevity. Nobody is immune to aging. People require long-term care for many reasons, illnesses, accidents or just because we get old and frail.

Experts suggest planning prior to retirement when premiums are low and your health is better. The American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance tells consumers to work with a specialist who understands these policies, partnership benefits, underwriting, and policy design. They should represent the major companies, not just one or two.