KIRKLAND, Wash. — “A failing mind, not body, is the biggest reason people need long term care today,” says Cameron Truesdell, CEO of LTC Financial Partners, the nation’s most experienced long term care insurance agency. “That shouldn’t be, so we’re going to give our clients information to help stay mentally fit.” To that end, the company is offering a free guidebook and web links to helpful resources.
The guidebook is “Dignity for Life: Facts That Can Protect Your Assets & Quality of Life.” It states that Alzheimer’s Disease and other forms of dementia account for over 30% of long term care claim dollars, significantly higher than for circulatory disease, Parkinson’s, stroke, or broken bones due to osteoporosis. The book recommends simple screenings that can detect dementia at its earliest and most treatable stages. “Dignity for Life sells for $8.95 on Amazon.com, but we’re giving it away free,” says Truesdell.
The web links refer people to easy, sensible measures for keeping one’s memory and reason intact years longer.
These measures fall into three categories:
1 Brain fitness exercise. There are links to programs that hone one’s perception, memory, and concentration. “For brain as well as muscle, you need to use it or lose it,” says Truesdell.
2 Nutrition. There are links to lists of what to eat and drink to promote brain health. Some of the tips are as simple as drinking enough water to irrigate brain cells properly.
3 Aerobic exercise. There are links to recreation and exercise options that all have a common aim: sending plenty of oxygen to brain cells.
The free guidebook and links are available at http://www.ltcfp.us/ltcfp/brain-fitness.html .
LTC Financial Partners works with leading insurance carriers that share their concern about brain health. “They all want Americans to live longer in good shape, mental as well as physical,” says Truesdell. “Some have programs that actively encourage individuals to take care of themselves.”
And corporate wellness programs are finding increasing insurance-industry support, Truesdell points out. “On that front, we’re helping out with our informational program for company employees, the Long Term Care Outreach and Education Program (LTCOEP(TM)).”
