Caregiving

Alzheimer’s disease is expected to impact nearly 13 million Americans by 2050, including 76,000 Coloradans today, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. So, as you contemplate your New Year’s resolutions for 2023, consider there are steps you can take yourself to maintain and improve your cognitive function.

Holidays can be stressful enough, but when you add in a person living with dementia, gatherings with family and friends become more complex. Finding the right gift for our loved ones can be challenging. The Alzheimer's Association offers a caregiver holiday guide that shows how, with careful planning, family celebrations can continue to be a meaningful part of the holidays while ensuring safety, comfort and enjoyment for everyone.

October is the official start of flu season, and the time when many people consider getting a flu shot. In addition to protecting you from the flu, the shot may also help protect your brain.

For most people, the end of Daylight Savings Time on Sunday, Nov. 6, means an extra hour of sleep. But for people living with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, it may accelerate the disorientation that comes with “sundowning” that can last through the winter months.

As we age, it is tempting to attribute the gradual changes our bodies go through – including changes in memory – to normal aging. There are some changes we should be more attentive to, including memory lapses that begin to affect our quality of life.

As temperatures rise, extreme heat can have a significant impact on everyone’s safety, but these conditions can be especially stressful and confusing for individuals with Alzheimer’s and other dementias.

During Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month in June, the Alzheimer’s Association is encouraging all Americans to adopt healthy lifestyle behaviors that may help reduce the risk of cognitive decline.

Despite being the No. 7 cause of death of Americans, and despite being the single largest risk to the health of our Medicare system, Alzheimer’s disease is not widely understood. Even some of the people most clearly at risk will go to great lengths to maintain a distance from the illness.

Roughly once every minute, someone in the United States develops Alzheimer’s disease. And roughly once every minute, family members and loved ones are overcome with stress and sadness upon hearing the news. In that confusion and the urgency to understand the short- and long-term implications, families frequently overlook the critical consideration of financial planning.

January is Financial Wellness Month, an annual reminder to pay attention to our financial well-being. For too many Americans, this reminder goes unheeded as we progress toward retirement.