Alzheimer's Disease is a progressive brain dysfunction that affects about 6 million Americans, mostly over the age of 65.  As the US population ages, the number of people with Alzheimer's Disease is expected to rise quickly.

Alzheimer's patients slowly lose their cognitive abilities including memory, language, and motor skills, and often become confused easily.  Some Alzheimer's patients suffer dramatic personality changes and even lose their ability to take care of themselves.  At this point, they begin to need Long Term Care.  Ten years is the average length of time a person is expected to live after having been diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease, and those years are almost always difficult for the person and his or her family. 

Caring for Someone with Alzheimer's Disease

Caring for someone with Alzheimer's Disease is often, unfortunately, much like caring for a small child.  Alzheimer's Disease can cause the patient to become agitated, physically aggressive, delusional, and withdrawn from family and friends.  It can also cause the patient to engage in disturbing behaviors and to become disoriented, often causing them to roam their neighborhood.  At this point, families typically consider nursing homes or assisted living facilities for their loved ones.

Alzheimer's Disease and other forms of dementia are the leading causes for needing Long Term Care.  People with Alzheimer's eventually require constant Long Term Care services, either at home or in a nursing or assisted living facility.

With the uncertainty of cognitive diseases, Long Term Care Insurance makes sense for most people simply because it can prevent them from being a burden to their families, and it can assure that they are properly taken care of.

Protection with Long Term Care Insurance

Long Term Care Insurance provides families with the option of giving their loved ones the proper care that is required in Alzheimer's situations. All Long Term Care Insurance policies cover Alzheimer's Disease and organic brain syndromes. However, some polices do not cover in-organic brain syndromes such as depression. 

Long Term Care Insurance must be purchased before the problem arises.  Insurance companies deny applications of applicants who do not meet their underwriting requirements.  This can be explained by comparing Long Term Care Insurance to auto insurance.  No auto insurance company would insure a car for an accident in which the car had already been involved.  Thus, if the applicant already has Alzheimer's Disease at the time of application, the request for Long Term Care Insurance coverage will be denied.

In Alzheimer's situations the physical, emotional, and financial stress of taking care of a loved one is extremely stressful for the family.  Adult children can protect their own financial security by purchasing Long Term Care Insurance for their parents, if it's not too late, as well as for themselves.