In Pursuit of Gracious Aging: Rethinking Aging in Place

A year of Covid has left us all feeling more vulnerable. We can do everything right, yet sometimes it’s not enough. At Guideway, many of our clients took action by creating or updating their Living Trusts. Couples approaching retirement are making important life decisions. Will they age in place, move to be closer to their kids or is a retirement community the right solution?

In a The New York Times article, a “throuple” was making plans for aging in place

A “throuple” is a new term–three people in a romantic relationship—in this case for 15 years. The pandemic forced the retirement issue for this group. They felt some urgency to find a retirement solution now so it will be ready when they need it. While they live in Florida, their desired location is New England, where they have friends and family.

They ended up buying an unimproved 1.7-acre lot of restored tidal marsh that featured changing scenery, natural light and an array of wildlife. When it came to design, there were a few nonnegotiables: Enough privacy to allow for plenty of windows, tidal marsh views, an easily maintained home and an eco-friendly yard.

Gracious aging: Being able to comfortably and safely age was the primary concern

“This is the first time we have worked for a three-person couple for whom gracious aging was part of the discussion from the outset,” said Rustam Mehta, a founding partner of GRT Architects, the Brooklyn firm that designed the 3,300-square-foot house.

The home embodies universal design principles

The one-story house follows universal design principles that are also senior-friendly–open spaces, minimal stairs, wider doorways and hallways. The three-bedroom home is wheelchair accessible and barrier free. There are no steps or thresholds across the entire principle floor. No tubs–all three bathrooms feature zero-threshold showers. For the country’s swiftly aging boomer population, this attention to safety is essential to healthy home life.

What usually happens: Changes are made in response to a fall or accident

More often than not, when homes are upgraded to accommodate seniors, changes are hurriedly made in response to a fall, accident or medical diagnosis. For the aging baby-boomer population that intends to age in place, now is a great time to start turning homes into comfortable, safe places to grow old.

Upgrades can start with easy changes:

• Installing task lighting in kitchens to accommodate fading eyesight.
• Building multi-height countertops to allow people of all abilities to both stand and sit while working in the kitchen.
• Investing in nonslip tiles and grab bars in bathrooms.
• Relocating select electrical outlets to be 18-inches to 24-inches high, making them accessible from wheelchairs.

Bigger changes can include enlarged doorways

Allowing for wheelchair access or a walker and adding ramps to eliminate stairs are essential changes. Many small modifications can be made that are inexpensive or have no associated cost. Evaluate your home for trip hazards. Unstable area rugs, cracked and loose tiles and flooring, both indoor and out.

According to Dr. Rodney Harrell, the vice president for Family, Home and Community at AARP, “The vast majority of people want to stay in their homes as they age, and most homes in this country aren’t designed to allow that to happen.” Start with the simple things that are easy and inexpensive to make your home safe.

Is it time to update your Living Trust?

Many of our senior clients created their Living Trust eight or more years ago. There’s a good chance a lot has happened since then—births, deaths, divorce, investments and new jobs. Our Trust package includes a Power of Attorney, an Advance Healthcare Directive and a Will. We guide you through the process and we prepare the legal documents. Schedule an appointment with Guideway today. We guide you through it and we prepare the legal documents.

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.

Executor Anxiety: What if the Estate Doesn’t Sell?

There is often confusion about the role of the Executor/Successor Trustee who manages the family’s estate after the death of a parent. An article in The New York Times underscores the uncertainty and anxiety that an Executor may be experiencing. An “Executor” carries out a person’s Will (common in New York because Probate is more workable there), whereas most California people will have a Trust, so the person doing all these tasks is the “Successor Trustee”. Anxiety is not uncommon—none of us has trained for this role, and we don’t normally bring any experience to the job.

 

In the article, one person is the Executor of her mother’s estate. The sale of her house and its belongings will be divided equally among the surviving children. The Executor had the home’s furnishings appraised and is preparing them for sale. She’s concerned that if the furnishings don’t sell, as Executor, she will be responsible for the shortfalls.

Fiduciary duties: Acting in the best interest of the beneficiaries

An Executor is legally responsible for sorting out the finances of the person who died, generally making sure debts and taxes are paid. What’s left is distributed among the heirs. As an Executor, you can’t act against the interests of any of the beneficiaries—these are your fiduciary commitments.

According to these fiduciary duties, you can’t sell assets for less than fair market value without agreement of the beneficiaries. Your job is to settle the financial affairs and divide the assets in accordance with the Will. It’s not your job to pay your siblings if the estate is ultimately not as valuable as everyone seems to think. You are expected to make prudent decisions about how you liquidate it.

 

What’s “prudent” can be a matter of supply and demand

“What’s prudent is going to depend on the nature of the assets,” said Douglas F. Allen, Jr., a trusts and estates attorney in the Manhattan office of the law firm Seyfarth Shaw. If the estate has a valuable 19th-century armoire and you sell it at a yard sale, your siblings could hold you responsible for being careless with their inheritance. Your job is to figure out how to appraise it and find the best venue to sell it, whether that’s at an auction or through an antiques dealer. If the piece appraises for a modest sum, you may decide to sell it at an estate sale. If it sells for far less than the appraised value, then it was only worth that much—it’s a matter of supply and demand. If it’s perceived as just a hulking piece of furniture in the marketplace, then the estate is responsible for the cost of disposing of it. 

A reality check: No one seems to want old bulky furniture

I recently helped a friend downsize. They sold the estate where they had lived for 30 years. They had a home full of beautiful things, including dishes, silver and antique furniture. All of these items were expensive and in excellent condition. We tried all of the online sales sites and didn’t get as much as a nibble. No one wants this stuff, including her own children. So while they may have paid a lot of money for these items, they were virtually worthless in today’s marketplace. They only have value when someone wants them.

When it comes to real estate, partner with a broker you can trust

Decide whether to list property as-is or spend money from the estate on upgrades, repairs and staging. If the broker suggests listing it for $750,000, but it sells for $700,000, then that’s all the money you have to split up, minus whatever expenses you incurred for staging, repairs and broker fees, according to Robert D. Steele, a partner at the Manhattan law firm Schwartz Sladkus Reich Greenberg Atlas, where he is head of the firm’s trusts and estates department.

Have these conversations now

To avoid a conflict among your siblings, start the conversation now, before any heirlooms are sold or divided up. Do some research to understand the local market value. Explain the process and whatever guidelines have been laid out in the Will. For heirlooms that have sentimental but limited monetary value, split these up now to avoid turmoil at what will undoubtedly be a difficult time.

Schedule an appointment to create your Living Trust: Zoom or in-person!

You now have a choice–via Zoom or an in-person meeting. Our Trust package includes a Power of Attorney, an Advance Healthcare Directive and a Pour Over Will. Best of all, we guide you through it and we prepare the legal documents.

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 article is based on an article in The New York Times by Ronda Kaysen.

 

 

Reverse Mortgages: Generating Cash Flow for Seniors

Just as a Living Trust has become an important part of financial planning, a reverse mortgage can play a role in generating extra revenue for retired seniors. Reverse mortgages have been arounds since 1961, and they’ve always been somewhat controversial. Yet a reverse mortgage can be a real difference-maker for seniors who need cash flow to supplement their retirement income.

In its simplest form, a reverse mortgage is a loan
Warning signs. A broker who:

• Uses high-pressure tactics to talk you into a reverse mortgage.

• Won’t disclose the fees, conditions and risks that come with taking out a reverse mortgage, including the possible loss of the home, which serves as collateral.

Do your research if you’re considering a reverse mortgage: Look to HUD, FTC

• HUD and theFederal Trade Commission have plenty of excellent information.

• Talk to a trusted financial adviser or attorney before you sign anything.

• If the reverse mortgage is a federally insured Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM), as most are, you are required by law to meet with a government-approved counselor.

• Be wary if someone selling home-improvement services suggests taking out a reverse mortgage to pay for renovations or repairs.

• Be very suspicious of claims that a reverse mortgage will get you free anything–income or a free home. You should know by now that nothing’s free.

• Do know that you usually have the right to cancel a reverse mortgage within three days after closing.

Don’t:

• Sign any loan paperwork that you don’t completely understand.

• For married couples: Don’t take out a reverse mortgage using just one spouse as the borrower. A reverse mortgage in one borrower’s name comes due when that person dies. The consequences for the surviving spouse could include collection proceedings and loss of the home.

• Listen to scammers telling you that reverse mortgages are a way to avoid foreclosure or get out of debt.

A Living Trust is an important part of financial planning  

A reverse mortgage lets you access the equity you’ve built up in your home. As a borrower, you get a tax-free advance on your own home equity. You can choose how you want to receive this advance—it can be a line of credit, fixed monthly payments or a lump sum.

For most reverse mortgages, you must use the proceeds to pay off your existing mortgage; the remainder of the loan comes due when you move, sell the house or die. Reverse mortgages are somewhat complicated, and they can be risky. Because the audience is older Americans, the industry seems to be populated with more than its share of scammers who can’t wait to take advantage of older homeowners.

While a reverse mortgage can be an important source of income for many seniors, a Living Trust is a critical part of financial planning. Our Trust package includes a Power of Attorney, an Advance Healthcare Directive and a Will. We guide you through the process and we prepare the legal documents. Schedule an appointment with Guideway today.

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.

Mighty Market: Small Steps Lead to Mighty Changes!

There’s a small shop making a big difference in Martinez. Two sisters opened their bulk refill apothecary + low-waste shop last April—just in time for Covid-19. This store is filled with an amazing array of organic, earth-friendly items that the owners have carefully curated.

Bring your own containers and buy in bulk

An important part of the Mighty Market ethos is buying in bulk—which translates to less waste and fewer containers discarded into landfills. Take your own containers or buy them at the Market. At the filling station, you’ll find household cleaners and a wide selection of soothing lotions and cleansers for face and body. You’ll be charged by the ounce.

A wide variety of soaps, lotions, moisturizers and cleansers

There’s an emphasis on high quality, reusable products made with natural ingredients—including product containers. Look for:

• Esoteric brushes for your drinking straws
• A collapsible water bottle for travel
• Sets of bamboo utensils—stop throwing away plastic utensils
• Conditioner for cast-iron cookware
• Soap for washing your dog
• Grooming products for men, including beard oils that cleanse and moisturize
• Tooth tabs for when you want to brush but don’t have water

Each of us can play a role in conserving our resources

Scientists trace the escalation of extreme weather conditions to rising temperatures. The catastrophic fire season that seems to last longer each year, extended hurricane seasons and flooding across the Midwest. Each of us can play a role in conserving resources by reducing our own carbon footprints. Mighty Market’s commitment to earth-friendly products makes it easy to live more sustainably.

Mighty Market, located at 739 Ferry Street in Martinez, is owned by Claire Martinez and Bronwyn Kopcek. They’re working moms, and many of their suppliers are women. They offer nationwide shipping and curbside pickup. Something else you’re going to like—they have a rewards program that’s an incentive to keep going back.

This is the season for taking charge and making commitments

Buying in bulk and supporting local businesses are good places to start. Many of our clients are also scheduling appointments to create Living Trusts. Covid-19 is still very much a reality, and a Trust, with a Power of Attorney and Advance Healthcare Directive are providing peace of mind to many. Best of all, we guide you through it and we prepare the legal documents. Schedule an appointment with Guidewaytoday.

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.

 

COVID, Ventilators and Your Healthcare Directive

In April, 91-year old Minna Buck revised her Advance Healthcare Directive. She doesn’t want to be intubated if she becomes infected with COVID. Ms. Buck has done her research and knows she doesn’t want any part of intubation. She knows that even if she survived, the recovery would leave her weak and disoriented, a burden on others, with a negligible quality of life.

No Intubation for Ms. Buck

Buck is clearly in the high-risk group. “No intubation,” she wrote in large letters on the form, making sure to include the date and her initials. “I don’t want to put everybody through the anguish,” said Buck.

Ventilators represent a loss of personal control

For older adults contemplating what might happen to them during this pandemic, ventilators represent a terrifying lack of personal control. Ventilators pump oxygen into a patient’s body while he or she lies in bed, typically sedated, with a breathing tube snaked down the windpipe. This can be the greatest fear: helplessly being hooked to a machine with the end of life looming. Yet for others, there is the hope that the machine might pull them back from the brink, giving them another shot at life.

Who will care for these patients? Where?

“It’s a very long, uphill battle to recovery,” and many older patients may never regain full functioning, said Dr. Negin Hajizadeh, an associate professor of critical care medicine at the School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell on New York’s Long Island. “Who’s going to take care of these patients after a prolonged ventilator course ― and where?”

Quality of life issues motivated one single woman to change her healthcare directive

In St. Paul, Minnesota, Joyce Edwards is 61, unmarried and lives alone. In late April, Edwards revised her Advance Healthcare Directive to specify that “for COVID-19, I do not want to be placed on a ventilator. I have to think about what the quality of my life is going to be. Could I live independently and take care of myself — the things I value the most? There’s no spouse or adult children to take care of me. Who would step into the breach and look after me while I’m in recovery?”

End of life care discussions: Think about what’s important to you

COVID has created some immediacy around end of life decision-making. Experts advise older adults to discuss what’s most important to them–independence, time with family, mobility, living as long as possible. Think about what represents a good quality of life—this will provide context for the ventilator decision. For Minna Buck, quality of life and independence outweighed living as along as possible. At 91, she has lived a long, full life.

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

As the COVID crisis drags on, more clients are scheduling appointments to create or update their Living Trusts. Our Trust package includes a Pour Over Will, and for those families with children under 18, it means that they can name a Guardian. Creating a Trust helps provide some peace of mind during these uncertain times. Best of all, we guide you through it and we prepare the legal documents.

Our Trust package includes a Will, Power of Attorney, an Advance Healthcare Directive and Incapacity Planning. At California Document Preparers, for most of our services, we charge one flat fee. We’re helpful, compassionate and affordable.

Schedule an appointment today

Our offices are open and we’ve instituted stringent sanitation procedures. We can also provide our services virtually via Zoom or phone. Schedule an appointment today at one of our three Bay Area officesin Dublin, Walnut Creek or Oakland. Please wear your mask and stay safe.

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.

As Pandemic Evolves, New Symptoms Emerge

Does anyone else wake up in the morning, take a few deep breaths and cough to test for COVID? We’re now learning that fever, cough and shortness of breath are not the only warning signs of a coronavirus infection.

As doctors and virologists learn more this insidious disease, they’re also discovering new symptoms that can accompany the more obvious respiratory problems. These new symptoms reinforce what experts around the world are telling us: The coronavirus is still in charge, capable of causing a sustained and often prolonged attack. Even more frightening for those in a high-risk demographic, are the long-term effects of the virus. People who get the disease do not develop an immunity. COVID breaks down our immune systems, and we can catch it again. The virus can leave its patients weak and disoriented.

In the early days of the pandemic, the focus was on treating those who were the sickest

But we’ve become more knowledgeable. “It takes a while for the full range of symptoms to be known when you’re dealing with a new virus,” explains Lisa Winston, M.D., an epidemiologist and professor of clinical medicine at UCSF.

COVID patients are exhibiting a broader range of symptoms

• Some patients are reporting red or purple lesions on hands and feet.
• Doctors are treating people with diarrhea and loss of appetite, sense of taste and smell.
• Dermatologist Esther Freeman, M.D., has identified red- and purple-colored toes that swell, burn and itch. This unusual symptom has been dubbed “COVID toes.”
• Rashes similar to those from hives and chicken pox have also been reported on some coronavirus patients.
• According to the Journal of American Neurology, confusion, delirium, and other neurological symptoms have also been observed in those with COVID.
• There are early reports suggesting that COVID may raise the risk of abnormal blood clotting. Clots reaching the lungs, heart or brain can cause more serious complications, including pulmonary embolism, heart attack or stroke. If the virus enters cells in the heart, it also can cause a heart infection known as myocarditis. This infection may cause chest pain, abnormal heart rhythms and heart failure.
• Happy hypoxia. This is a dangerous condition where patients have dangerously low levels of oxygen in their blood, which could cause reduced consciousness. Patients with this condition have been unusually alert and comfortable—completely unaware that they’re manifesting a serious condition.

Response to COVID will be influenced by the strength of our own immune systems

Once COVID reaches the lungs and the bloodstream, it travels around pretty freely. More research will determine how it interacts with cells. Symptoms may be caused by inflammation that results from the body’s immune response to infection—and will vary widely depending on the strength of the individual immune system. While fewer people are dying from COVID, more people are becoming infected. We can minimize the risk by social distancing and wearing masks.

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

We are scheduling appointments with clients to create or update the Trusts they created 15-20 years ago—there may be new grandchildren, property and/or investments. Think of those things that would change the inheritance for your beneficiaries.

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.

Schedule a secure office visit or work virtually via Zoom

Our offices are open and we’ve instituted stringent sanitation procedures. We can also provide our services virtually using Zoom or phones. Schedule an appointment today at one of our three Bay Area offices in Dublin, Walnut Creek or Oakland. We’re helpful, compassionate and affordable. COVID is going to be with us for a while, so wear a mask and stay safe!

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 an article from the AARP, Unusual Symptoms of COVID-19 You Need to Know About, by Rachel Nania

Three Months and Counting: What We’ve Learned During the COVID Lockdown

It’s been three months since we began sheltering in place. We assumed we’d be back to our happy little routines within a few weeks. How naïve we were. We now know that our happy little routines will be disrupted for a long time to come.

Along the way we’ve learned that:

There’s a deep well of generosity and a strong sense of community among us

• LVMH shut down perfume production and began producing hand sanitizer. Cable companies offered free wifi for homebound students.
• In my own community, volunteers organized grocery runs for those who couldn’t drive or get to the stores.
• Wellness checks included neighbors dropping off care packages and casseroles. For the elderly, this virus quickly could become dangerous and isolating.
• In Ohio, the Cleveland Clinic was struggling to find protective face masks for its 55,000 employees. A call to Abe Troyer, a local Amish community leader, resulted in 60 home seamstresses teaming to sew 12 thousand masks in two days. “If there is a need, people just show up,” said Mr. Troyer.

We really are all in this together

This disease freely roams the globe. It won’t be over until everyone is vaccinated. Our government talks about a vaccine by year’s end, but this virus mutates. Will the virus we develop today work on the virus that evolves tomorrow? No one knows, though the government has committed $1.2B to drug company AstraZeneca to develop a vaccine.

Expertise and government matter

There’s a reason why we have government and policies. It’s important to hire smart, experienced people, to build teams who know how to execute in a crisis. We really can’t underestimate the importance of strong leadership, experience and expertise. We’ve learned an important lesson: Crisis is inevitable, it’s how you deal with it that matters.

We can learn from others

What if we took a page from New Zealand, a tiny country whose population is less than that of the Bay Area? New Zealand is cautiously COVID-free, thanks to smart leadership. They’re all over renewable energy–79% of their electricity comes from renewable, and their goal is to be 90% renewable by 2025. Think about that. An entire country working toward an environmentally conscious goal. What if we did that? What if America’s collective creativity were directed toward renewable energy? We could own this and lead the world.

Some amazing things are emerging from this crisis

We’ve learned about our own resilience, resourcefulness and ingenuity. We’ve:

• Gotten to know our families again and hopelessly spoiled our pets.
• Reduced pollution. We can do this. Venice’s canals are clearer than they’ve been in 20 years.
• Learned new languages. My neighbor can’t stop baking. It’s endless–gardening, knitting, sewing, painting and canning. These close-to-the-earth kinds of activities are somehow life-affirming.
• Rediscovered our creativity and inventiveness. Skype book clubs, Periscope jam sessions, live-streamed yoga classes and worship services. We’ve Zoomed everything imaginable—from art classes, happy hours and dinner parties to weddings and memorial services.
• Gone back to using the internet as it was meant to be used. A way to connect, share information and come up with creative solutions to pressing problems. There’s a kind of pioneer spirt about this—the kind of thing that surfaces when the power goes off for an extended period.

We’ve found inventive new ways to transact business, but something is missing

Many of these activities represent positive change that will transcend COVID. But we all want our lives back. We want to be around people again. To be in a crowded restaurant or bar, to go to movies, concerts and events. To have the freedom to hop on an airplane and travel. To meet new people, to be free to reach out and shake hands. To connect. We want to hug our friends again! Despite our agility and reliance on our online channels, we’ve learned that the need for human connection remains a powerful, driving force.

And that’s one of the good things to emerge from our lockdown. We’ll get through this. Stay safe.

The uncertainty of this disease leaves many people scheduling appointments to create or update their Living Trusts 

Our Trust includes a Power of Attorney, an Advanced Healthcare Directive and a Pour Over Will. For those with children under 18, it provides the opportunity to name a Guardian. 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.

Working with California Document Preparers

The safety and wellbeing of our own team and our clients are important to us. For many of our clients, we are working completely virtually using ZOOM and phones. We’ve instituted stringent sanitation procedures in our offices, so our clients can feel comfortable about meeting with us. Everyone is wearing masks and gloves; hand sanitizers are distributed throughout the space. We limit the number of people in the office so that we can maintain proper social distancing.

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.

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.