As this very complicated and confusing year comes to a close, I hear many people say it can’t happen fast enough!  I echo those sentiments except in one important regard and that is the progress that has been made this year in the field of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.  November is National Alzheimer’s Awareness month and as such, it is fitting to highlight new developments in promising research, tips for maintaining our brain health, and a quick update on the role Alzheimer’s/dementia has played, and continues to play, in my life.

First, let me assure you that I have never been more optimistic than I am right now that a breakthrough is on the horizon.  The National Alzheimer’s Plan that was written into law in 2010 calls for prevention, treatment, and cure by 2025.  Despite some temporary setbacks in clinical trials due to Covid-19, things are back on track and the neuroscience experts whom I know are equally optimistic that we have a great chance of meeting or beating that goal!

As a quick reminder about why this topic is so important to me, three of four parents in my immediate family were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, the most common type of dementia.  Our “Lovies”, as we refer to them, lived for 16, 14, and 11 years with the disease and it would be an understatement to say that it changed every aspect of our lives.  While it has been six years now since our last Lovie left us, striving to rid the planet of dementia, at least in some small way, remains my purpose and passion.

I continue in my role at MINES and Associates as a provider of Employee Assistance Plan Alzheimer’s/dementia coaching and corporate client dementia training.  After recently completing a six-year term on the Alzheimer’s Association Board of Directors, I continue as a volunteer community educator for them and also serve as their public policy ambassador to Capitol Hill, where I speak with congress about dementia research funding and legislation.

I am now in my fifth year as the volunteer Community Chair for Dementia Friendly Denver, which is affiliated with Dementia Friendly America, a White House Conference on Aging program announced in 2015.  We present a free one hour program through DFD for organizations and community groups called Dementia 101 + Reducing Your Risk.  In 2019, I delivered 135 of these learning sessions around the greater Denver area and am now presenting them virtually.  FYI, you can reach me at 800.873.7138 for MINES and Associates EAP dementia coaching or at dementiafriendlycolorado@gmail.com for community group presentations.

Now for the juicy and exciting news!  Among the many dementia findings the scientific and medical community has announced this year are the following:

• New research supports the positive impact of flu and pneumonia vaccinations on risk reduction for Alzheimer’s disease. Discuss these vaccinations with your doctor as there may now be more than just the obvious advantages.
• At long last, a simple blood test for Alzheimer’s disease is in the final stages of clinical trial and may be available in a year or two! Rather than denying the knowledge of impending dementia, we now know that important lifestyle changes might delay onset.
• The next bit of great news is that the FDA has approved the drug Aducanumab for final review for the treatment of Alzheimer’s! If this last step meets standards, it will be the first true treatment for Alzheimer’s, as current drug therapies may provide some relief for symptoms, but do not slow the progression of the disease.
• To keep the good news coming, diagnosis guidelines have been improving for the past few years and PET scans can now detect excess amyloid-beta and tau, the hallmark brain proteins for Alzheimer’s, in living brains! This is big news versus waiting until autopsy to determine the pathology of the disease.

And now, because I could never conclude my yearly dementia update without a list of the 15 real things we can all do at any age to reduce our risk for Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, here you go…

• Exercise – Regular cardiovascular exercise is the closest thing we have to a silver bullet while we await a cure.  Be sure to check with your doctor to make sure it is safe for your overall health.
• Diet – Adopt a Mediterranean diet high in vegetables, fruits, and lean proteins.  Avoid salty, sugary, fatty, and fried foods, and limit red meat consumption.  Blueberries are awesome for your brain!
• Sleep – Good sound, natural sleep is critical in allowing your brain to rid itself of toxins.  Put your devices in another room, make it cool and dark, and discuss sleep issues with your doctor before taking sleep aids. Ask your doctor about classes of drugs that should be avoided by those over 50 as they may increase risk for dementia.
• Heart Health – There is a correlation between dementia and cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity.  If it is good for your heart, it’s good for your brain!
• Cognitive Evaluations – As you get older, ask your doctor to include a cognitive evaluation in your annual physical.  Staying on top of cognition changes can help you make important lifestyle adjustments to reduce dementia risk.
• Smoking – There is a direct correlation between Alzheimer’s disease and smoking.  Enough said!
• Mental Health – Depression, stress, and other emotional conditions can negatively affect cognition.  Discuss these with your doctor for treatment.  Manage your stress through safe exercise, yoga, meditation, etc.
• Hearing Loss – There is an increase in Alzheimer’s/dementia among those with untreated hearing loss in middle to older age.  Discuss hearing loss with your doctor. There should be no stigma for hearing devices!
• Social Interaction – Involvement with others is critical for brain health.  Especially in the year of Covid-19, socialize via online platforms, or safely distanced interactions.
• Continual Learning – Learn a new language, instrument, or hobby, or take online classes!
• Brain Exercise – While not every brain game may have science behind it, some do, so exercise your brain through games, puzzles, and new challenges.
• Helmets – Always use your seatbelt and wear helmets when biking, skiing, etc. Protect your most important asset, your brain!
• Air Quality – New studies show a correlation between brain health and pollution.  Protect your cardiovascular health by wearing a mask in heavily polluted cities or fire/smoke areas.
• Alcohol – Excessive alcohol consumption can contribute to cognitive decline.
• Inflammation – Studies show a correlation between cognitive issues and brain inflammation.  Avoid a diet that can increase inflammation.  Choose salmon, broccoli, walnuts, avocado, and other anti-inflammatory foods.

So…as National Alzheimer’s Awareness Month is observed during November, and this crazy year wraps up, please know that hope is plentiful on the Alzheimer’s/dementia front!  And thank you for helping to spread the word about the lifestyle practices we can all do to keep our brains healthy and reduce risk for cognitive decline.

If you are living through the pandemic with a family member with dementia, remember to physically demonstrate safe practices versus using verbal reminders and most importantly, reach out to friends and family members to take a turn at caregiving to give yourself periodic breaks.  Maintaining your patience level and taking care of yourself are key.

Reach out to me through MINES and Associates for help in making a dementia plan, increasing your dementia knowledge, and honing your communication and interaction skills.  And use the Alzheimer’s Association 24/7 helpline (800.272.3900) and website (alz.org) to stay connected to resources and the latest news.

I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving no matter what that may look like for your family this year.  Thanks for letting me share my thoughts and please stay safe and well!  – JJ

To your wellbeing

-JJ Jordan

Mines and Associates

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November once again ushers in not only the holiday season, but National Alzheimer’s Awareness Month.   Every November, I look forward to sharing my thoughts with you as we observe this period of heightened awareness for Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.  In fact, this November is the 36^th anniversary of this designation.  President Reagan, who later died of Alzheimer’s disease, initiated this month of awareness for dementia back in 1983.  We have learned a great deal about dementia since then and of course, since Alzheimer’s disease was originally discovered in 1906 by Dr. Alois Alzheimer.  Over 5.8 million Americans are currently living with Alzheimer’s disease.  It is the 6^th leading cause of death in our country and someone develops the disease every 65 seconds.

So look around you this November and you will see more buildings than ever lit in purple to call attention to Alzheimer’s.  Capitol domes across the nation will turn purple this month and sports venues will be bathed in purple as well to acknowledge the vast effect of dementia on American families.  You may notice Mayors and Governors sporting purple scarves or ties and awareness ads on television and social media.  It is hard to find anyone these days who has not been affected by dementia in their immediate or extended families or among their networks of friends and coworkers.

And so…as we take a moment to reflect on those people in our lives who have suffered from Alzheimer’s or other dementias, we can also acknowledge that optimism for a breakthrough has never been stronger.  Our National Alzheimer’s Plan calls for prevention, treatment, and cure by 2025 and many in the scientific and medical fields believe this goal is attainable.  I am a Public Policy Ambassador to Capitol Hill for the Alzheimer’s Association and can attest through my visits to Washington DC that this is a completely nonpartisan issue.  Congress is in complete agreement about the need to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease which costs our nation $290 billion each year caring for those with dementia.  Congress is allocating more and more funding each year, now providing around $2.6 billion to the National Institute of Health for dementia research.

As a reminder of why the goal for a world without Alzheimer’s is my passion, three of four parents in my immediate family were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s within a year and a half of each other.  They lived for 16, 14, and 11 years with the disease and I was their family caregiver throughout our dementia journey.  Our last “Lovie” left us five years ago, and I will never forget them.  I will also never forget the challenges we faced together through early, middle and late stages of Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia.

Of course with November also comes planning for Thanksgiving feasts and preparations for Christmas, Hanukah and Kwanzaa celebrations.  It is a time of year when we share memories of holidays past with family and friends, but for some, those memories are difficult to recall due to Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.  Therefore, it is only fitting that as we anticipate the upcoming holiday season, we pause in November to heighten community awareness for memory-robbing diseases and renew our pledge to fight until these conditions have been eradicated.

This November in particular, I am filled with hope that dementia itself may someday soon become a distant memory.  I have never been more optimistic than I am right now that the breakthrough is on the horizon. There are more clinical dementia trials in Phase III than ever before.  The scientific and medical communities are thinking outside the box with regard to research.  A large pharmaceutical company has just approached the FDA for approval for a promising drug treatment.  Advancements in diagnostics are making the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease a reality.  We believe that one-quarter of all hospitalizations for those with dementia could be prevented by diagnosis.  Our loved ones with dementia can also stay independent longer if they are reminded to take medications for other health issues and if precautions are taken to remove fall hazards from their homes.

But while we wait for the big news of a breakthrough, (when it occurs, I am throwing a party for the whole world, so you will all be invited!), it is more important than ever to understand the warning signs for dementia and the lifestyle changes we can make to reduce our risk.

The key warning signs or symptoms are:

• Memory loss
• Challenges with Problem Solving
• Difficulty Completing Familiar Tasks
• Confusion with Time or Place
• Visual or Spatial Difficulties
• Problems with Words
• Increased Problems with Misplacing Things
• Decreased or Poor Judgment
• Withdrawal from Activities
• Changes in Mood or Personality

If you see any of these signs on a regular basis in yourself or others, see a doctor immediately.  While it might not be Alzheimer’s or dementia, it could be something that requires immediate attention.  If it is dementia, there are many benefits to early detection and diagnosis.

And perhaps the most exciting news is that our lifestyle choices can have an impact on risk reduction or delaying the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.  Adopting the following twelve lifestyle habits “will probably” influence our risk for dementia versus the “might possibly” promises of the past.

Regular Cardio Exercise – Be sure to check with your physician before beginning an exercise regimen to make sure it is safe based on your overall health.

Diet – Eating fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins vs. fatty meats, fried, sugary or salty foods.  If you choose to consume alcohol, exercise moderation.  Blueberries, blueberries, blueberries!  A great food to fight inflammation and a great source for antioxidants.

Heart and Brain Awareness – If it’s good for your heart, it’s good for your brain.  There is a correlation between cognitive decline and cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and high blood pressure, and obesity and diabetes.

Talk to Your Doctor – Ask your doctor to ask you about your cognitive health each year during your annual wellness visit or physical.  82% of older adults believe their cognition should be tested annually, yet only 16% are actually getting these tests.

Mind Your Mental Health – Discuss depression with your doctor and manage your stress.  Consider meditation, yoga, or even grown-up coloring books as a way to bring peace and calm into your busy life.

Stop Smoking – There is a direct correlation between Alzheimer’s disease and smoking…enough said.

Continual Learning – Continue to learn new things.  Take a class at a community college or online.  Learn a musical instrument or a language.

Stimulate Your Brain – While not every brain game may have science behind it, many do.  Challenge yourself with puzzles and games and pay special attention to games that exercise your peripheral vision, which is at risk for decline through cognitive impairment.

Socialize – In this day of social media, make sure you interact personally with others.  Social integration is important for brain health.  Volunteer, take dance lessons or join clubs.

The Importance of Sleep – Sound, natural sleep gives your brain a chance to rid itself of toxins.  Remove devices from the bedroom and create a cool and dark environment to promote sleep.  Some sleep aids may actually increase your risk for dementia, so check with your doctor before using medications.

Treat Hearing Loss – There is an increase in the incidence of Alzheimer’s and dementia in those with untreated hearing loss in middle age.  Your brain cannot process what you never heard to begin with.  See a doctor about hearing loss.  There should be no stigma about hearing devices.

Protect Your Brain – As active adults, we are sliding up, down and around something summer and winter.  Seatbelts, seatbelts, seatbelts!   Helmets, helmets, helmets!

And as we wait for the breakthrough, it is also more important than ever to know how to get help. I have been with Mines and Associates for five years now and present a learning session called Alzheimer’s/Dementia A to Z to our client groups.  I am noticing attendees of all ages in these sessions as interest is growing in how we can maintain healthy brains beginning in our 20s and 30s. I am also seeing an increase in those employees who seek coaching on the topic of Alzheimer’s/Dementia through the Employee Assistance Plan benefits that their employers provide.  Mines clients can schedule free one hour sessions with me for dementia coaching as they put together plans to care for aging parents, relatives or friends.

Another organization that I am involved with is also at the forefront of trying to improve the quality of life for those living with all forms of dementia and their family care partners.  I serve as the Volunteer Community Chair for Dementia Friendly Denver, a part of Dementia Friendly America, a not for profit, grassroots, all-volunteer initiative that was introduced at the White House Conference on Aging in 2015.  Our volunteer team is working on eight projects in the greater Denver area and you can check them l am out at dementiafriendlydenver.org. The goal of the projects is to make our community more dementia-friendly and to reduce the stigma surrounding the topic of dementia.  Our team provides a free one-hour learning session to business, government, academic, faith and community groups titled Dementia 101 – Reducing Your Risk.  To schedule a free session for your group, contact me at dementiafriendlycolorado@gmail.com

And please remember that you can still enjoy the holidays if you are caring for family members with dementia.  Just take the “Holiday Lite” approach.  Details don’t need to be extravagant or perfect.  Plan holiday activities and outings to be shorter in length.  Remember that our Lovies wear out faster than we do, as an hour for us is like five hours for them.  Be prepared for upsets due to the disruption of routines and provide rest periods for everyone!

And so, as we enter National Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, most importantly, remember that you are not alone.  Utilizing the dementia resources available through Mines and Associates can help you get organized and become knowledgeable.  In addition, the Alzheimer’s Association provides a 24/7 helpline at 800.272.3900.  And finally, for all of you who are caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia, be sure to take care of yourself first!  This will help you provide better care for your Lovies.  I wish you a peaceful holiday season and remember that hope abounds!!!

JJ Jordan

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	Managing Financial Stress & Physical Wellbeing
Welcome to the November 2019 edition of TotalWellbeing, your guide to the 8 dimensions of wellbeing. This month we will look at managing financial stress and staying mindful of your physical wellbeing during the holidays. With all the get-togethers, parties, and gift-giving this time of year, it is all too easy to spend too much and eat too much during the holiday season. The key here is to stay mindful and not let the fast-paced nature of the season and all the events distract you from your financial and wellness goals. The year is almost over, don’t let yourself drop the ball now. Stay mindful, stay strong. For more information on managing financial stress check out these helpful articles, free webinars, and the information below. It is also Alzheimer’s awareness month. Alzheimer’s affects many people all over the world both those who have the disease and those that care for them. Please take time to read this month’s blog post for an update on the state of Alzheimer’s research and resources. And remember that MINES is here to help. If you are a caregiver and need to talk to someone, need help finding resources, or are grieving a loved one with the disease, please call us. Also, just another friendly that you can now access your counseling services with MINES through an online text and messaging platform! It’s counseling whenever, wherever! Call us anytime for more info or to get set up! Remember you can always catch past issues of TotalWellbeing on our newsletters page. This newsletter is aimed at providing helpful information about various aspects of your wellbeing and then connecting it all back to important and relevant parts of everyday life. If you have any thoughts, questions, or content you would like to see covered here please get in contact with us. You can email us directly by clicking here. To your total wellbeing, The MINES Team
How to Lower Your Financial Stress Living with too much of any kind of pressure on a daily basis can take an emotional and physical toll, contributing to sleepless nights, backaches or headaches or, over time, even life-threatening diseases, such as high blood pressure or heart disease. Financial troubles are no different. The Consumer Federation of America (CFA) recommends a two-prong approach; relax and take action. Relax, take a breath: Focus on what you have, not on how much you’re lacking. List all your possessions, including material things, your health, and your relationships. Eliminate clutter in your life. Tossing out what you don’t need and organizing the rest also can tidy up your emotions. Meditating or sharing your feelings with a nonjudgmental person can do the same. Take care of yourself physically. Exercise is one of the best stress reducers. Eat a balanced, healthy diet. Take Action: Set up a budget. Write down where all your money is going — mortgage and car payments, food, gas, telephone, clothing. Then, see what can be adjusted so you can live within your means. Create a new spending plan and stick with it. If there’s nothing left to trim from your budget, you may need to think about new income sources. Stop taking on new debt, immediately. If this means not eating out, not indulging in expensive entertainment or giving up a second car and taking public transportation, then so be it. Learn if you qualify for public or private financial assistance. Use low-interest savings to pay down high-interest debt. Debt can be very expensive to carry; once it’s paid off, your payments can go to savings instead. Check out this article for a full breakdown of financial tips. Remember that you and your household members have financial benefits, including financial coaching and free 30-minute consults for financial matters, available through the EAP. Please call us at 1-800-873-7138 to get connected right away. Also, PersonalAdvantage has a ton of great resources and FREE webinars this month to help you focus on your wellbeing while also being productive at work and home.
Question of the Month What is one compromise you can make this year to lower your biggest sources of financial stress around the holidays?
Quote of the Month “It’s not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving.” – Mother Teresa
Staying Mindful At holiday parties, you don’t always have control over the types of foods available. Make the best of your choices and cut back on portions: Take only a sliver of your favorite desserts. If you’re having pie, don’t eat all the crust, unless it’s made from crushed graham crackers. Sample the fresh fruit platter. Avoid alcohol. Eat a healthy meal before the party so that you don’t overindulge. When you bring a dish to share, keep in mind that the guests may also be watching their eating habits. Offer healthy alternatives to feel good about what you’re serving.
If you or a member of your household needs assistance or guidance on any of these wellbeing topics, please call MINES & Associates, your EAP, today for free, confidential, 24/7 assistance at 800.873.7138.
This Month’s Focus Free Webinar: Money is Emotional: Prevent Your Heart from Hijacking Your Wallet MINESblog: New to TW? Check out our past Blogs! National Alzheimer’s Awareness Update 2019 Important Links Visit our BLOG MINES and Associates 2019 Training Catalog Balanced Living Magazine LinkedIn MINEs Archives Contact Us Email MINES
		MINES does not warrant the materials (Audio, Video, Text, Applications, or any other form of media or links) included in this communication have any connection to MINES & Associates, nor does MINES seek to endorse any entity by including these materials in this communication.  MINES accepts no liability for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided herein, nor any additional content that may be made available through any third-party site. We found them helpful, and hope you do too!

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Hard to believe it is November again already.  And with November comes National Alzheimer’s Awareness Month.  So much has happened on the Alzheimer’s front since this time last year.

I have never been more optimistic that a breakthrough is on the horizon.  Dr. Huntington Potter at the Anschutz Alzheimer’s Research Center right here in Denver has an exciting clinical trial going on with promising results so far.  It really feels to me like some big news may be around the corner from the scientific community.

In the meantime, family care partners for those living with various forms of dementia need resources, support, and last but not least, rest!

Although all three of my parents who suffered from Alzheimer’s have left us, I remember well the journey my family traveled for 16 years through the world of dementia.  Fortunately, someone recommended that we reach out to the Alzheimer’s Association and thankfully we did.  They provided, classes, support groups, and a 24/7 helpline so we could call day or night and ask any question, no matter how basic or complicated. A real person was always on the phone to help us through the roughest times.  So here comes the number; write it down… you will never be alone with this number at hand.   800.272.3900.   The Alzheimer’s Association is also the largest private funder of dementia research.  The bottom line is that these folks are just great – they will help you find the resources you need and care about you and your family throughout your journey. And they don’t care what type of dementia your family may be dealing with.

This might be a good time to mention some other great resources and in the process, give a brief overview of my involvement in the world of dementia since losing my folks to Alzheimer’s.  People sometimes say they bet I am relieved to be “done” with Alzheimer’s and I tell them, “Oh no, I am just warming up”.  I will not rest until we get Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia off the planet.

That is one reason why I’m involved in a new project called Dementia Friendly Denver.  We are a grassroots, not for profit initiative that is part of Dementia Friendly America, which was introduced a few years ago at the White House Conference on Aging.  There are now 130 American cities joining in this all-volunteer mission to make communities more dementia friendly and improve the lives of those living with various forms of dementia.  The DFD team I chair recently partnered with the University of Denver to host a two-hour community education event.  You can check out the slides from that event and upcoming news at http://www.dementiafriendlydenver.org/.

The reason it is important to think about all types of dementia in November during National Alzheimer’s Awareness Month is that only 50% of those with dementia get a diagnosis.  I want to spread the word that it is important to know which type of dementia your loved one may have.  Alzheimer’s accounts for about 70% of all cases, but there are other types of dementia, like Vascular, Lewy Body, and Frontotemporal to name a few.  Dementia Friendly Denver has a Resource Guide listed on the website I mentioned above that will connect you with 800#s and websites for each type of dementia support.  You can also get a referral list of doctors who can help you get a specific diagnosis at the Alzheimer’s Association helpline.  Here comes the number again….800.272.3900.

And of course, all of this is why I joined the MINES team a few years ago providing dementia lunch and learns and coaching for our EAP clients.

I guess you can tell that I feel passionate about our need to find a prevention, treatment, and cure for Alzheimer’s disease and that I really feel we are close.  In the meantime, November is a month to help each other find the resources we need as family caregivers and most importantly, to take care of ourselves so we can care for our loved ones.  Respite is a term for giving caregivers a break and it is critical for those of us caring for someone with dementia.  Everyone needs to recharge. So let me give you another resource…..you can find a Respite Locator on the website coloradorespitecoalition.org.  It provides a list of respite options which you can then investigate.

OK, it would be totally inappropriate to wish you all a “Happy Alzheimer’s Awareness Month” so instead I will tell you that I am happy to have new hope for a breakthrough.  I am also happy that Congress voted to include an additional $414 million in next year’s Alzheimer’ Research budget. That is real progress.

Enjoy the month of November with your family, don’t hesitate to get the help you need now as a care partner and take care of yourselves so we can celebrate when the breakthrough comes.  I will be throwing a party for the world and you will all be invited! – JJ

To Your Wellbeing,

JJ Jordan

MINES Affiliate and Alzheimer’s/dementia Expert

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Unsung (and unpaid) heroes

Given that a large percentage of caregivers are family members or friends of those that they care for, they are rarely paid or reimbursed for any of the time and resources that they spend caregiving. In fact, approximately 43.5 million caregivers have provided unpaid care to an adult or child in the last 12 months. [National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP. (2015). Caregiving in the U.S.] Not only do these folks go unpaid, they are often paying out of their own pocket for supplies, transportation, and lost wages due to missed work in the line of caregiver duty. Alzheimer’s and dementia are already ranked as some of the most expensive medical issues facing the US today, but with personal expenditures and lost wages for caregivers being hard to calculate exactly, this problem might be even worse than what the current stats say.

Who are they?

Despite their superhuman capacity for empathy, caregivers are normal people, and oftentimes do not have any formal caregiving training or background. They also come from just as diverse of backgrounds as that of the people that they care for. Typically, they are adults with the average age being 49.2 years old, with 48% of caregivers falling in between the ages of 18 and 49 years old. About a third of caregivers are older than 65. In terms of ethnicity, according to a 2015 survey, 62% of caregivers identify as White, while 17% identified as Hispanic, 13% as African-American, and 6% as Asian-American.  [National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP. (2015). Caregiving in the U.S.]

Women and Caregiving

A very important aspect of the Alzheimer’s/dementia crisis is that women are right at ground zero. Not only do women face a 60% greater chance of getting Alzheimer’s or dementia, but upwards of 75% of all caregivers are female, and may spend as much as 50% more time providing care than males. [Institute on Aging. (2016). Read How IOA Views Aging in America.]

While women account for the vast majority of caregivers, they also make up a large percentage of the individuals being cared for. In fact, 65% of care recipients are female, with an average age of 69.4. The younger the care recipient, the more likely the recipient is to be male. 45% of recipients aged 18-45 are male, while 33% of recipients aged 50 or higher are male. [National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP. (2015). Caregiving in the U.S.] Much of this is due to the fact that Alzheimer’s and many types of dementia tend show up in women a much higher rate than men. Researchers are trying to determine what the reason is behind this. It was once thought that it was because women tend to live longer than men, but as the average life expectancy becomes closer this is being challenged and other factors are being considered.

Who are they caring for?

While many caregivers do so professionally, many make the leap into the role of caregiver in order to care for family or close friends. This group actually makes up the vast majority of caregivers with 85% of all caregivers caring for a relative or other loved one. Of these caregivers 42% are caring for a parent, 15% are caring for a friend or other non-blood related loved one, 14% for a child, 7% for a parent-in-law, and 7% for a grandparent-in-law. [National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP. (2015). Caregiving in the U.S.]

What are they doing?

There is no set job description for caregiving. The day to day tasks vary from one individual to the next depending on the needs of those they care for. It is estimated that 96% of caregivers are charged with assisting or completely taking over normal everyday activities such as shopping, cooking, picking up prescriptions, and so forth which adds up fast, leaving little time for the caregivers’ own needs. [AARP and United Health Hospital Fund. (2012). Home Alone: Family Caregivers Providing Complex Chronic Care.]

According to a recent survey, on average, caregivers spend:

• 13 days each month on tasks such as shopping, food preparation, housekeeping, laundry, transportation, and giving medication;
• 6 days per month on feeding, dressing, grooming, walking, bathing, and assistance toileting;
• 13 hours per month researching care services or information on disease, coordinating physician visits or managing financial matters. [Gallup-Healthways. (2011). Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index.]

To make matters worse, many of the tasks are complex and often medical in nature. A recent report that talked about caregivers who provide ongoing chronic care, 46% had to perform medical and nursing tasks on a regular basis, sometimes without the ability to obtain proper training to perform the needed tasks. [AARP and United Health Hospital Fund. (2012). Home Alone: Family Caregivers Providing Complex Chronic Care.]

It is important to mention that Alzheimer’s and other dementia related disease call for some of the more intensive and long term caregiving commitment. Measured by duration of care, Alzheimer’s and dementia caregivers provide care on average 1-4 years more than caregivers caring for someone with an illness other than Alzheimer’s disease. They are also more likely to be providing care for five years or longer. [Alzheimer’s Association. (2015). 2015 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures.]

How can we support them?

Caregivers report having difficulty finding time for one’s self (35%), managing emotional and physical stress (29%), and balancing work and family responsibilities (29%) (NAC, 2004). About 73% of surveyed caregivers said praying helps them cope with caregiving stress, 61% said that they talk with or seek advice from friends or relatives, and 44% read about caregiving in books or other materials (NAC, 2004). If you find yourself close to someone who is providing care for someone and you’d like to help out, keep in the mind the best way that you can help is to stay out of their way and instead go do daily tasks that they do not have time to do themselves such as shopping, picking up kids from school/activities, or offering company when they do get the rare moment to themselves. But remember if they just want to be alone make sure to give them the space they need to unwind.

Thank you!

So with all this in mind it’s easy to see that we should all be thankful to the caregivers in the world. Many people would be suffering even more without the time and personal sacrifices made by these special people every day. So this holiday season everyone at MINES says THANK YOU CAREGIVERS! Thank you for everything you do!

To Your wellbeing,

Nic Mckane

The MINES Team

Sources and Resources:

https://www.caregiver.org/caregiver-statistics-demographics. http://www.caregiving.org/caregiving2015/

http://www.cdc.gov/aging/caregiving/facts.htm, http://www.aarp.org/relationships/caregiving/info-11-2008/i13_caregiving.html

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November is National Alzheimer’s Awareness Month and National Caregivers’ Month.  One of the first questions I am asked when I speak or teach on the topic of dementia is, “What is the difference between Alzheimer’s and dementia?”  The most logical answer is that everyone who has Alzheimer’s disease has dementia, but not everyone with dementia has Alzheimer’s disease.

Prevalence and cost

Alzheimer’s disease was discovered by Dr. Alois Alzheimer in 1906.  It is a brain disease that causes difficulties with memory, thinking, and behavior.  5.4 million Americans are currently living with Alzheimer’s, and more than 15 million caregivers are providing their care.  Alzheimer’s accounts for approximately 70% of all cases of dementia and one in 9 Americans will develop the disease past the age of 65. With 10,000 Baby Boomers turning 65 every day in our nation, Alzheimer’s is a topic that cannot be ignored.  Nearly half of us will have Alzheimer’s at age 85 and it is currently the country’s 6^th leading cause of death.  Unfortunately, it is the only disease in the top ten that cannot be slowed, treated, or cured.  Aside from the heartache of Alzheimer’s, it is also the most expensive disease in the US, costing the federal government $160 billion each year for patient care.

Women and Alzhiemer’s

Women are at the epicenter of Alzheimer’s disease.  According to the Alzheimer’s Association, a woman past the age of 60 is twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s as breast cancer.  Two-thirds of Alzheimer’s caregivers are women and 2/3 of Alzheimer’s patients are female.  The scientific community used to connect these numbers to the fact that women live longer than men, but now new studies are being conducted to determine if there is more than longevity involved in these gender statistics.

Hopefully by now you are alarmed but not despondent about the stark facts regarding Alzheimer’s.  There is hope!  Record numbers of clinical trials are underway, including four that address prevention.  While Alzheimer’s cannot be prevented at this time, doctors and scientists are now convinced that lifestyle may play a part in reducing risks or delaying the onset of the disease.

There are things you can do

Here are ten things that the Alzheimer’s Association suggests you can do to “Love Your Brain”:

1. Break a Sweat – Exercise can reduce the risk of cognitive decline
2. Fuel Up Right – Follow a balanced diet high in fruits and vegetables and low in fat
3. Follow Your Heart – Avoid risk factors for cardiovascular disease like obesity and high blood pressure
4. Buddy Up – Support your brain health by engaging and socializing with others face to face
5. Hit the Books – Take a class – formal education may help reduce the risk of cognitive decline
6. Stump Yourself – Challenge your mind – play games of strategy and speed
7. Mind your Mind – Some studies link depression with cognitive decline making it important to seek treatment and reduce stress
8. Catch Some ZZZs – Not getting enough sleep may result in problems with memory and thinking
9. Butt Out – In addition to other health risks, smoking increases risk for cognitive decline
10. Heads Up – Wear your seat belt in the car and use a helmet when playing sports or riding your bike

While there is no guarantee that doing the above things will prevent you from developing Alzheimer’s disease in your lifetime, these things may help reduce risk or delay onset.  And…they make good sense for overall health!

Resources are available in our community.  The Alzheimer’s Association is the nation’s leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s care, support, and research.  Visit http://www.alz.org for a variety of good information regarding Alzheimer’s.  A 24/7 helpline is also available at 800.272.3900.  All services are provided at no cost to families living with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

Reach out, we can help

And remember to use your Employee Assistance Program benefits from MINES and Associates when the stress of caregiving for someone with dementia becomes overwhelming.  Caring for yourself is key.  You owe it to your family to stay healthy in order to achieve the best quality of life for both you and your loved ones with dementia.  MINES and Associates also provides workplace lunch-and-learn sessions regarding Alzheimer’s/dementia.

During November, make a point of learning more about Alzheimer’s and encourage your friends and family to do the same.  There is reason to be optimistic that a breakthrough will occur.  In the meantime, take good care of your brain and reach out for caregiving help.  It’s the smart thing to do!

To Your Wellbeing,

JJ Jordan

MINES Affiliate and Alzheimer’s/dementia Expert

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