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The National Institute on Aging estimates that 5 million Americans suffer from dementia, which is the single most expensive condition to treat at $215 billion annually compared to heart disease at $102 billion and cancer at $77 billion. Psychologist Robert Myers, PhD. works with patients exhibiting the telltale signs of the disorder (e.g., memory loss, personality changes and impaired reasoning) in his position at Brand New Day, a Medicare approved health plan that offers a special program for dementia and Alzheimer’s patients. While dementia is more common among older adults, the odds increase substantially when accompanied by high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar and dangerous cholesterol levels. So he recommends that those at risk stop smoking, reduce their cholesterol levels, eliminate alcohol consumption, increase their level of physical activity, lose excess weight, get a full night’s sleep, keep their minds active (e.g., solving crossword puzzles, playing cards and games, learning to play musical instrument) and socialize regularly. “More and more cases of dementia are diagnosed everyday and the strain it puts on patients as well on their friends and family can be substantial and devastating so it’s important to take steps to stave off or prevent it,” said Myers. “But many people confuse early onset dementia with simple memory loss, which is a common occurrence as we grow older.” So how do you know if you have simple memory loss or may be suffering from the early onset dementia? Myers says that those with dementia oftentimes: • Forget about activities they previously did on a regular basis (e.g., going to church on Sundays, playing weekly card games with friends, etc.) • Don’t recognize people or things that they typically see on a daily basis (e.g., close family and friends, their purse or wallet, even their own reflection in the mirror) • Find lost objects in odd places (e.g., car keys in the mailbox, purse in the car trunk, wallet in the freezer, etc.) • Find an aspect of their life that they’ve always had under control suddenly is now in chaos (e.g., finances are in shambles, forgetting to send birthday cards & presents, etc.) • Ask the same questions within a short period of time or forget what they are talking about mid-conversation • Have trouble following simple directions when they are laid out for you (e.g., recipes, maps) • Have difficulty with their vision (e.g., reading, judging distance, determining color or contrast) • Experience hearing loss, which can be a precursor to dementia. In fact, a University of Wisconsin study found that those with hearing loss are three times more likely to develop dementia or Alzheimer’s disease than the rest of the population. “It’s normal for your memory to deteriorate as you age but that doesn’t mean you’re developing dementia,” said Myers. “When you’re distracted, concentrating on too many things at the same time or are overly stressed, you might experience some forgetfulness. But it’s important to recognize the signs of dementia and start taking the steps necessary to prevent those symptoms from taking over your life.” For those with dementia, Brand New Day offers the Bridges Program for patients and their caregivers. Here, patients are offered support beyond traditional treatment to include a health coach, housing placement, memory support and a host of other services. Brand New Day is the Medicare product name of Universal Care, Inc., a privately held California Knox-Keene Healthcare Service Plan licensed by the California Department of Managed Health Care and contracted with the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services as a Medicare Advantage contractor. Established in 1983, Universal Care, Inc. is owned and operated by an experienced group of managed care executives and physicians. For more information, visit BNDHMO.com or call (866) 255-4795