Phyllis Ferrell, DrPH, MBA, expert in Alzheimer’s disease on what business leaders should do now to impact their brains and bottom line.
Brain health is not just a “consumer” topic. It is incredibly important for business leaders as well. Did you know that estimates have found that impaired brain health costs the global economy up to $8.5 trillion annually in lost productivity? Moreover, the McKinsey Health Institute estimated that proactively investing in employee health—including their brain health—could create close to $12 trillion of global economic value.
But first, as business leaders would do with any topic, let’s start with the basics of brain health, particularly dementia.
Understanding Dementia Vs. Alzheimer’s Disease
As I mentioned in my previous article, the Lancet Commission issued a report demonstrating that more than 40% of dementias may be preventable with lifestyle changes. This work is based largely on research by Dr. Miia Kivipelto of the Karolinska Institute in Sweden.
Please note that I said “dementia,” not “Alzheimer’s disease,” as there is an important distinction between these two terms. “Dementia” is a term that denotes the level of symptoms experienced by an individual. Cognitive impairment is staged, and when symptoms begin impacting activities of daily living (such as driving, balancing the checkbook or managing appointments), it crosses into early dementia.
Alzheimer’s disease is one of the causes of dementia, likely the largest cause. It is determined by the presence of sticky amyloid plaques in the brain and tau tangles. Until about two decades ago, we had to wait until a postmortem autopsy to see these pathologies. However, with the innovation of PET scans, we can now see the plaque in a living brain, and we have learned that these sticky amyloid plaques can begin 10 to 20 years before cognitive symptoms.
This knowledge has been transformational for the field. We now know that we have been studying, diagnosing and treating this disease way too late. Who wants to be diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer if it could have been caught at Stage 1? Alzheimer’s disease is no different.
Brain Health On The Main Stage
At an event I attended in Florida, I was hosted by a lovely gentleman who is a prime example of the importance of early detection. After a diagnosis of early Alzheimer’s, he was a candidate for a new therapy that aimed to significantly reduce the presence of his amyloid plaques.
Is he cured? No. Is there a likelihood that he will continue to progress? Yes. But clinical trials show he probably decreased his rate of progression by catching it so early. And as he drove me around the beautiful grounds, we laughed and chatted and became fast friends, and I saw what it was like to live and even thrive after an Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
As mentioned above, research shows that modifying risk factors might prevent or delay dementia cases. Some of these factors include eating a Mediterranean diet, regular exercise, maintaining a healthy blood pressure, not smoking, consuming alcohol only in moderation, cognitive and social engagement and getting seven to eight hours of quality sleep each night. This is often called the “FINGER” model (from the Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study); the lifestyle modifications cluster into the five categories of healthy food, physical activity, mental stimulation, cardiovascular risk factors and social activities.
Do As I Say, Not As I Do
How many times have you told your team to “use all their vacation days” but not done so yourself? Or have you preached about good mental and physical health and then run yourself into the ground? Or, worse yet, do you have a team culture that praises 80-hour work weeks, airline frequent flyer status and early mornings and sleepless nights? If so, there are steps you can take to support not only your own brain health but also that of your team.
Model brain-healthy behaviors for your employees.
As a leader, all of your actions are being watched by your team, including healthy—or unhealthy—habits. Educate yourself on brain-healthy behaviors, and incorporate those habits into both your personal and professional life. Your brain is the most important asset for your company, your team and your loved ones. If you aren’t taking care of it, who will?
Celebrate when your team takes care of themselves and one another.
In 2018, Stanford professor Jeff Pfeffer said workplace stress is the fifth leading cause of death in the U.S. And employers feel it as healthcare costs have been on the rise for years. Top reasons for these increases in costs include rising healthcare utilization driven by chronic illness, an aging population and increased life expectancy.
Create an employee support group for caregivers.
Balancing work with caregiving can be extremely challenging for employees. Many workers have said that to meet their responsibilities of caring for loved ones, they’ve taken time off, come in late or left work early, shifted to part-time roles, turned down promotions and even switched jobs entirely. Establishing a group in your workplace that provides support to caregivers could both improve presenteeism as well as decrease the toll on their own mental and physical health.
Provide paid time off to participate in research.
More than 85% of Alzheimer’s clinical trials are delayed because of slow enrollment. Participation in an Alzheimer’s clinical trial would require approximately one day per month for most clinical studies, and they typically last for 18 to 24 months, in my experience. Giving your team time off to participate in these types of efforts could have a significant positive impact. In a 2012 study of paid time off for blood donation, researchers found a substantial effect that represented a 40% increase in blood donations.
I won’t tell you that we can “blueberry your way out of Alzheimer’s disease.” It is a progressive neuropathological disease, and that is why scientific progress in treatments is so important. But studies show how we may be able to slow its progress and improve our brain and body’s resilience. And by bringing some of these efforts into the workplace, you might even lower your employee healthcare expenses all at the same time.
The information provided here is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. You should consult with a qualified healthcare provider for advice concerning your specific situation.
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