5tips for supporting BRAINHEALTH

2. Get enough sleep. Sleep deprivation can leadtoproblems with memoryand cognitiveabilities. Sleep is essential forbrain maintenance, likeremoving built-up toxins in your brain.

3. Staysocial.

Isolation or loneliness in older adults is associated with a50% increased risk of developing dementia and a26% increased risk of all-cause mortality, according to the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. Engaging in activity clubs can help youincrease your social interaction and help youstayactive.

4. Makehealthier lifestyle choices. Studies showmoderateexercise can help improve brain function, especially in the areas responsible forlearning and memory. Improving these parts of the brain may fight pre-Alzheimer’s changes often seen in midlife. Talk to your health plan about fitness programs that maybeavailable at no additional cost. Other lif choices, likee ahealth mayalso reduce cardiovascular risk while to slowbrain yo ur health carep rovi der ab out treatment plans to help yo um anage chronic conditions.

In addition to these five steps, it is important to have amemoryscreening completed each year.Having arecord of your brain function year to year may help your health carepractitioner diagnose memorydisordersearlier

Memor ys creenings ca nb ep erfo rmed during yo ur Annual We llness Visit, which is free to anyo ne on Medicare. Makes uretoa sk yo ur phys ician to perform am em or y evaluation the next time yo uv isit the doctor’s office.

Un itedHealthcareM edicare

Adva ntagem embersc an also take adva ntageo ft he HouseCalls program, which offersa na nnual health a nd we llness visit in the conve nience and privac yo fyour ho me ,a tn oadd iti onal cost. AH ouseCalls licensed prac titioner can conduct am em or ys creening and re fe ryou to ad ditional care, if needed.

If yo ufeel likeyou or al ove do ne be suff from sy mptom so f dementia, contact yo ur health care prov ider.