When the advisory community and their clients think about healthcare, conditions like Alzheimer's pose an exceptional challenge.  Unlike avoidable or treatable leading causes of death, many of which can be reduced through proactive health measures, Alzheimer's remains the only major condition without a definitive cause, preventive strategy, or cure.  That reality reshapes how we think about "treatment." In the absence of medical solutions, the collaborative guidance of a trusted advisor becomes the most potent response.  Advisors who provide comprehensive financial, legal, tax, and insurance-based planning are uniquely positioned to help clients prepare for the uncertainties and long-term impact of Alzheimer's or similar conditions.

While the ADVISOR approach — Awareness, Diet, Vaccinations, Improving Healthcare Access, Safety Measures, Organized Lifestyle, and Regular Exercise — offers meaningful prevention and management strategies for leading causes of death, such as heart disease, cancer, and stroke, it falls short for Alzheimer's.  The disease continues to progress regardless of healthy lifestyle choices or access to care.

June Is Alzheimer's & Brain Health Awareness Month

Now is the time to reframe the conversation, as more than 7 million Americans aged 65+ are currently living with Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia.  This number is growing, and with it, the emotional and financial strain placed on families.  Cognitive decline often precedes the emergence of physical limitations.  And while families assume Medicare will cover needed care, the truth is sobering: a recent study shows seniors face serious access gaps to mental health support after transitioning to Medicare.  These deficits include therapy, memory support, behavioral care, and specialized facilities—many of which are excluded from Medicare coverage entirely, making financial planning a critical form of treatment for clients facing the possibility of Alzheimer's.

Financial Planning as the Alzheimer's "Treatment"

In the absence of causality, prevention, or cure, financial professionals offer the only reliable form of "management" by guiding clients to (1) establish legal and tax frameworks, including healthcare directives, powers of attorney, and trusts, (2) build sufficient savings and investment strategies that account for the long-term cost of care, (3) Leverage insurance-based solutions, including traditional and life/annuity hybrid options that provide tax-advantaged LTC funding.

This convergence of health and wealth allows advisors to play a pivotal role in helping clients retain control in a situation where so much feels uncontrollable.

Planning Is Power

Alzheimer's and cognitive decline shift the narrative of aging.  It's not just about physical decline or life expectancy—it's about prolonged cognitive deterioration and the intense caregiving burden placed on families.  Long-Term Care Planning isn't just financial—it's emotional, logistical, and deeply personal.  Although the disease remains untreatable, financial preparedness provides structure, clarity, and peace of mind.  In doing so, it becomes the cornerstone of how we respond to a condition that exists beyond the reach of medicine—and a way to protect clients and their loved ones.