November is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month and experts recommend a hard conversation
Alzheimer's affects an estimated 5.4 million Americans, according to the
It's characterized by the destruction of brain function, including loss of memory, language difficulty, confusion and depression -- which is one of the reasons it's important to have medical and end-of-life care conversations with loved ones early on.
"The biggest thing is to talk about it. It's not always a comfortable conversation, which is why it's important to talk about it before something happens,"
She also believes in designated health care proxies, filling out Medical Orders for Life Sustaining Treatments and getting one's wishes down on paper, even if it doesn't feel pressing.
Dr.
"The job of a health care proxy is to put themselves in the shoes of the sick person and try to make the decision the sick person would if they were of full mind,"
The
While only a third of adults have completed written advance directives that spell out wishes for care or designate a health care proxy, research shows advance care planning increases the chance that a person's medical and end-of-life wishes will be fulfilled.
"The more planning you do before you're in crisis, the better,"
Besides advanced care planning, choosing a power of attorney, having a will in place and pre-planning your funeral are other tasks that can be handled before a crisis hits,
Keeping insurance policies, wills and other paperwork in an organized file is also important.
The good news this month, beyond good food and family, is that advances are being made against Alzheimer's and other degenerative disease. While there is still no cure, a new, simpler blood test was developed this year to detect the disease early on, and research has found growing evidence that a healthy lifestyle including diet and exercise might reduce one's risk of ever developing Alzheimer's.
There's no easy way to talk about aging and death, but there are several online resources to start the conversation. Aging With Dignity offers an easy "Five Wishes" planning template, while
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