Alzheimer’s disease is currently ranked as the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, but recent estimates indicate that the disorder may rank third, just behind heart disease and cancer, as a cause of death for older people.
At Muneris Benefits, we help thousands of Medicare Beneficiaries with managing their supplement and Part D coverage. While we enjoy our role as a trusted advisor, it does come with occasional sadness, and nothing is more solemn than finding out one of our clients has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia among older adults. Dementia is the loss of cognitive functioning—thinking, remembering, and reasoning—and behavioral abilities to such an extent that it interferes with a person’s daily life and activities. Dementia ranges in severity from the mildest stage, when it is just beginning to affect a person’s functioning, to the most severe stage, when the person must depend completely on others for basic activities of daily living.
Research shows that keeping the brain healthy may help prevent Alzheimer’s. Take the following steps:
· Eat a healthy diet.
· Stay socially active.
· Avoid tobacco and excessive alcohol.
· Exercise.
· Stimulate the brain with activities such as logic or word puzzles.
