“Color Your Mind” Book Giveaway

Alzheimer’s: A topic of conversation that is unfortunately making its way into the homes of more Americans these days. Within the last 15 years, the number of individuals in the United States living with this disease has increased by 55 percent, with the expected number of cases projected to rise to 16 million in 2050.1

Reports indicate that the total number of patients living with Alzheimer’s today may be even more dramatic than what originally meets the eye. The estimated number of Alzheimer’s cases is 5.4 million. However, when combined with the number of patients who have developed the illness but are not yet symptomatic, the running total of those with Alzheimer’s disease is then somewhere around 11 million.2

With the number of Alzheimer’s patients on the rise, more families are tasked with either the burden of providing care to their loved ones themselves or finding a suitable long term care solution that fits their needs as well as the needs of their loved ones.

If you wish to enter our drawing for a copy of “Color You Mind” by Maria Shriver, please enter your name and email below:

Although there are many locations in which long term care can be provided, there seems to be a shift towards home healthcare. Research from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that more patients are beginning to utilize care options that take place within the home when it comes to Alzheimer’s care.

In 1999, just 13.9 percent of Alzheimer’s patients died within the comfort of their own homes as compared to the current 24.9 percent of patients. While this data may seem to suggest that more family members are deciding to burden themselves with the full-time job as an unpaid caregiver of an Alzheimer’s patient, this may not actually be the case.

What many individuals fail to realize is that 80 percent of long term care is provided at home.3 This means that patients have the option of receiving professional care without having to move into an organized facility, such as a nursing home. A long term care insurance policy can help make this possible.

While it’s great that patients are presented with more attractive options for their long term care these days, the bottom line is that the unpredictability of when an individual may need long term care is something that could potentially present a problem to all families.

This is where the importance of a long term care plan comes into play. By taking out the guesswork of when care will be needed, families can rest assured that they have the necessary coverage to provide for their loved ones without needing to make major sacrifices in their own lives. This is especially true for most Alzheimer’s cases since around-the-clock care is usually required at the final stages of the disease.

In a campaign by Genworth Financial, celebrities came together to discuss the importance of long term care insurance and being prepared for the future. Their compelling personal experiences and stories shed light on how common it is to need some form of care as we age. This fact reins especially true when facing the severe cognitive effects of diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

Celebrity Endorser of Genworth Financial, Maria Shriver, has a particularly close tie to the Alzheimer’s issue. After witnessing the toll that the disease took on her father when he was diagnosed in 2003, Shriver was eager to create something that would allow the family members of Alzheimer’s patients to continue to have meaningful interactions with their loved ones as the disease progresses.

In an article on Today, Shriver recounted how she would frequently take to doing puzzles or doodling with her father, Sargent Shriver, when she went to visit him because many other activities were unsuitable for his condition. With this in mind, Shriver set out to create “Color Your Mind,” a coloring book developed to “create a calming, soothing, guided activity that patients and caregivers can do together.” 4

The idea of coloring books tailored towards an older demographic is not necessarily a new one. For years now, coloring books aimed to help adults manage stress and improve mindfulness have been increasingly popular. The repetition of coloring the same image over and over has been shown to physically change heart rates and brain waves of individuals, while allowing them to focus on a single accomplishment. 5 Shriver’s new book claims to have the same stress reducing effects of any other coloring book on Alzheimer’s patients.

In the spirit of nurturing the relationships within families as loved ones age, Newman is extending an exciting giveaway opportunity. From now until August 14th, we will be collecting names to give away copies of Maria Shriver’s new book, “Color Your Mind,” to five lucky drawing winners. To be entered into the drawing, please submit your name and email below. Winners will be declared on August 15th.

Newman is a great resource to help explore long term care solutions that would fit you best. For 26 years we have focused solely on long term care insurance and pride ourselves on our expertise in the industry.

One of our main goals is to allow families to enjoy each other’s company without the burden of having to handle a long term care plan on their own. With a similar goal, this book facilitates the families of Alzheimer’s patients to connect and spend time with their loved ones in a meaningful way and make the most of their time together.

If you wish to learn more about long term solutions, please contact us at 612 454 4400.

1 CNN, Death rate from Alzheimer’s disease in the US has risen by 55%, says CDC
2 Forbes, Alzheimer’s Affects Twice as Many People as Estimated Suggests New Study
3 Congressional Budget Office, Rising Demand for Long-Term Services and Supports for Elderly People
4 Today, Maria Shriver creates first coloring book for people with Alzheimer’s
5 Medical Daily, The Therapeutic Science of Adult Coloring Books: How This Childhood Pastime Helps Adults Relieve Stress

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