Why is Grandma Twice as Likely to have Dementia as Grandpa?

Eight out of every ten of us will have some form of dementia before we die. Here’s another stat that most of us likely don’t know. Two-thirds of the 5.8 million people in the U.S. who have Alzheimer’s disease are women.

By 2050, that number will zoom to nearly 14 million—and 9 million of those will be women. This according to a new report from AARP. “People just don’t think about the fact that women are disproportionately affected by dementia,” says Kristine Yaffe, M.D., professor of psychiatry, neurology and epidemiology at UCSF.

Dementia: Not a disease so much as a group of symptoms

Dementia’s symptoms show a decline in memory and social abilities so that they interfere with the ability to function on a daily basis. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia. But there are other forms of dementia. Women shoulder a wildly disproportionate burden in every single one of these diseases, robbing them of independence, memories, and in many cases, their self-identity.

• Women’s lifetime risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease is twice that of men’s.
• They are more likely to be caregivers for loved ones with dementia, which takes a toll on their own financial, physical and mental wellbeing.
• Women make up more than 60% of dementia caregivers.

Why are women at greater risk for dementia? 

Experts assumed it was a consequence of women living longer than men—and of course it’s a factor, but not a reason. “The social and environmental influences on health play a huge role in brain health for women,” notes Sarah Lenz Lock, senior vice president for policy and brain health at AARP. “Women face more challenges due to lower educational levels. They have fewer economic resources, they provide more caregiving for their families and they experience more stress. All of these factors affect the risk of cognitive decline.”

Reproductive history plays a role

The age at which women get their first menstrual periods, how many successful pregnancies they have, childbearing and the decline in estrogen at menopause—all may be contributors, along with genetic factors, depression and anxiety.

Racial and ethnic disparities

Racial and ethnic disparities place women at a greater risk. Older African Americans are twice as likely to have Alzheimer’s as older whites; and older Hispanics have a 1.5 times higher risk than non-Hispanic whites. While there is little research to understand this disparity, lack of access to health care stands out as a contributing cause. Conditions such as heart disease, stress, hypertension, diabetes and obesity that disproportionately affect racial and ethnic minorities increase the risk of dementia.

What can women do to reduce their risk for dementia?

A mounting body of research suggests that a healthy lifestyle can reduce the risk of dementia by more than 33%.

Here are the key components of a brain-protective lifestyle:

• Exercise regularly. Cardio or aerobic exercise increases blood flow, reduces inflammation and stimulates the release of growth factors, stimulating brain health.
• Stimulate your brain. Puzzles, word games and challenging reading material help keep your brain in shape.
• Stay socially connected. Besides helping prevent isolation and loneliness, staying connected to people you care about provides a sense of purpose and support.
• Relieve stress. It’s women who juggle careers and family obligations. That’s a problem for brain health because ongoing stress and anxiety cause depression and increase the risk of Alzheimer’s. Work on decompressing through exercise, meditation, yoga, deep breathing, therapy, time with friends or whatever helps you relieve the pressure.
• Get plenty of good sleep. It’s remarkable what a good night’s sleep can do. The toxins, get cleared out.
• Eat a balanced diet. Fads come and go. A heart-healthy/Mediterranean-style diet still makes sense.
• Protect your head from injury. Traumatic brain injuries are an important risk factor for dementia, so be sure to wear helmets for biking or skiing.

Control chronic health conditions. “There’s a connection between heart health and brain health,” Yaffe says, “and hypertension, diabetes and obesity have big effects on the brain because of the vascular effects and other effects.” Take steps to prevent these health problems or keep them under tight control. “Taking care of themselves with short-term investments in their health and wellbeing will pay long-term benefits for women,” Lock says.

Many of CDP’s clients are retired or they’re thinking about retiring

Healthcare issues, particularly Alzheimer’s, are frequent topics—especially for those who may be caring for aging family members. If someone you love has been diagnosed with some form of dementia, it’s important to create a Trust while that person still has testamentary capacity.

During this health crisis, many are feeling an urgency to create a Living Trust 

Our Trust package includes a Will, Power of Attorney, an Advance Healthcare Directive and Incapacity Planning. We guide you through the process and prepare the legal documents. At California Document Preparers, for most of our services, we charge one flat fee. We’re helpful, compassionate and affordable. Schedule an appointment today at one of our three Bay Area offices in Dublin, Walnut Creek or Oakland. 

Note that our offices are open and we’ve instituted stringent sanitation procedures. We can also provide our services virtually.

We service the entire East Bay and North Bay areas

Berkeley, El Cerrito, Richmond, Pinole, Alameda, San Leandro, Castro Valley Newark, San Lorenzo, Concord, Alamo, Danville, Lafayette, Orinda, Moraga, Pleasant Hill, Martinez, Pittsburg, Antioch, Brentwood, Oakley, Discovery Bay, Pleasanton, San Ramon, Livermore, Tracy and Fremont. Our clients also live in the Napa Valley, Benicia, Vallejo, Martinez, Fairfield.

This story is based on a story from the AARP, Dementia’s Gender Disparity: Report Uncovers Unique Challenges Facing Women, by Stacey Colino.

Testamentary Capacity: A Growing Legal Concern

Baby boomers have profoundly affected the way we do business and the way we live our lives. They’re the big, noisy generation that demanded to be heard. They pioneered breakthroughs in multiple industries, including art, medicine, science, education and technology. Now the boomers have gotten old, and while they’re being replaced by millennials, they’re still setting records. They’re joining the ranks of the estimated 5.5 million Americans who have Alzheimer’s disease, a demographic that is growing at an alarming rate. With no cure in sight, one in 10 people aged 65 and older has Alzheimer’s.

With the increased occurrence of some kind of dementia, it’s not surprising that the matter of testamentary capacity is being raised more frequently when it comes to signing legal documents.

What is testamentary capacity and why is this important?

Testamentary capacity is the legal term defining a person’s legal and mental ability to make or alter a valid Will. Wills are often executed by older adults who may be losing their mental capacity; determining testamentary capacity is a process that helps protect these potentially vulnerable adults from those who may be hoping to profit from the Will.

Testamentary capacity is a legal question, not a medical question

It is important to note that having dementia or Alzheimer’s disease does not necessarily mean that a person lacks capacity to execute his/her Will. There is no single definition of capacity, nor is there a general test or criteria that we can apply to establish capacity, mental capacity or competency. Rather, in every case, capacity is specific to each time and situation. Legal capacity can fluctuate. In terms of the law, there is a presumption of capacity until it is disproved.

In determining testamentary capacity, it is critical that the person signing the legal documents understands the relevant information and the consequences of the documents he/she is signing.

Capacity characteristics and criteria

The following capacity characteristics and determining criteria are used as guidance in determining capacity, but it’s important to keep in mind that determining capacity can be a very subjective exercise. It requires the testator to have the ability to understand the following:

• The nature of the act of making a Will and its essential elements.
• The extent of the property of which he or she is disposing.
• The claims of those persons who expect to benefit from the terms of the Will.
• An overall understanding of the relationship among these factors—the Will as a legal document, the property identified therein and the people who will be named as its beneficiaries.

We encourage everyone to create a Living Trust

But for those whose parents have been diagnosed with some form of dementia, the timing becomes much more critical. Our dedicated team is helpful, compassionate and affordable. Contact California Document Preparers at one of our three Bay Area offices today to schedule an appointment.

Conservatorship for Mother with Advanced Alzheimer’s

Brook Thurston, in our Walnut Creek office, has been helping a client obtain a Conservatorship for her mother. When the mother had begun showing signs of dementia five years before, she had moved in with our client. In the early stages, the disease had been manageable. While our client had a demanding job, she was able to adjust her schedule, working more frequently from her home office, which allowed her to keep an eye on her mother.

The disease progressed from dementia to advanced Alzheimer’s

But the dementia became Alzheimer’s, and it’s a heartbreakingly progressive disease. The mother had reached the point where she could no longer engage in conversation and had to be constantly watched. Our client would find her mother eating banana peels, drinking detergent, trying to dress herself, but getting confused and wearing a sweater as pants. To complicate things, the mother had recently fallen, broken her hip and was now in the hospital. Her mother’s condition had reached the point where she required 24/7 care, and our client could no longer care for her mother alone.

No Power of Attorney to access assets

Her mother had never created a Living Trust with a Power of Attorney or Advanced Healthcare Directive. When our client finally intervened to take charge of her mother’s care, it was too late to get the Power of Attorney that would provide access to her mother’s assets to pay for the costs of the more comprehensive care she now required.

A Conservatorship would allow our client to make decisions about her mother’s care

Our client was applying for a Conservatorship for her mother. This legal status would allow her to make decisions about her mother’s care. As Conservator, she would also have access to her mother’s assets that would help pay for her care.

Brook filed the necessary papers with the court, petitioning for the Conservatorship. The court assigned an investigator to the case to confirm that there weren’t any signs of elder abuse or other illegal schemes to gain access to an aging woman’s finances. The court also scheduled a Conservator hearing to review the case.

Access to her mother’s assets, allowing her to pay for more comprehensive care

As her mother’s Conservator, our client now has access to her mother’s assets, which will help pay for her care. She is now legally responsible for making decisions about where her mother will live and the kind of care she will receive. She must keep financial records and submit regular reports to the court.

Responsibilities of a Conservator: 

• Making decisions about meals, living arrangements and housekeeping
• Providing for health and personal care
• Providing transportation, including taking the Conservatee to doctor’s appointments
• Making sure the Conservatee’s bills are paid
• Investing the Conservatee’s money
• Making sure the Conservatee gets all the benefits for which he or she is eligible
• Making sure the Conservatee’s taxes are filed and paid on time
• Keeping exact financial records
• Making regular reports of the financial accounts to the court and other interested persons.

In this situation, much of the anxiety and a lot of trouble could have been avoided if our client’s mother had created a Living Trust when she was still mentally alert, giving her daughter Power of Attorney and naming her the agent for her Advance Healthcare Directive. Instead, her daughter struggled with the economics of her mother’s care until the court eventually appointed her as her mother’s Conservator.

Still putting off your Living Trust? 

Our Trust package includes a Power of Attorney and Advanced Healthcare Directive. Most of our clients tell us they’re surprised at just how easy it was. Make an appointment today to get started on your Trust. Helpful. Compassionate. Affordable