When A&E airs “David Cassidy: The LAST SESSION,” a documentary on the life and death of former 1970s teen idol best known for his role on the “Partridge Family,” the spotlight will shine on a medical condition he and 5 million other Americans suffer — dementia. Last year, Cassidy announced that he was living with dementia. He retired from performing in early 2017 when the condition became noticeable during a performance in which he forgot lyrics and otherwise struggled. Just a few months later, Cassidy was hospitalized for liver and kidney failure and he died later that year at 67.
What many people don’t know is that dementia 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 like Cassidy who exhibit 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 with the odds increasing substantially when accompanied by high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar and dangerous cholesterol levels, it is also linked to genetics as was the case with Cassidy (his mother died from complications of the disease).
If you are elderly, carry some of the aggravating risk factors or if dementia runs in your family, Myers recommends the following:
• Stop smoking
• Reduce your cholesterol level
• Eliminate alcohol consumption
• Increase your level of physical activity
• Lose excess weight
• Get a full night’s sleep
• Keep your mind active (e.g., solve crossword puzzles, play cards and games, learn to play a musical instrument)
• 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.
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