What concerns people most about retirement? According to research from our partners at the MIT AgeLab, throughout most of our adult lives, it is all about the money. “When will I have enough?” “Will it run out?” “Can we buy that beach house?” However, right around typical retirement age, we start to see a shift. People become much more concerned with their health, both physical and cognitive. Financial professionals who embrace these concerns head on can build deep, quality relationships with clients that go beyond the numbers.

Financial professionals of course have the opportunity to educate and guide clients through their financial concerns as it pertains to retirement and quality of life. But by properly educating themselves on topics of client interest like cognitive health, they can provide deeper service to clients, build advocates and thus grow and enhance their practices.

Why It Matters
The good news is that research around the preservation of cognitive health has gotten extremely optimistic and hopeful over the years. Through Hartford Funds’ research partnership with Neuroscience Researcher Dr. Marc Milstein, we have discovered that we individually have a lot more control over our cognitive health than previously thought. We now understand that simple lifestyle interventions can go a long way in keeping our brains clean, young and healthy. And when we think of the prospect of spending nearly half of our adult lives in retirement, this becomes even more crucial. We want to ensure that as we experience increased quantity in our lifespans, the quality is there in those years as well.

The MIT AgeLab research tells us that two things clients highly value in the financial professional they work with are access to education and connection to resources – and as June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, this is the perfect time to engage with clients about their brain health.

‘Educate Me’
There is a myriad of research out there around cognitive health. Dos and don’ts, different therapies, supplements to take… the list goes on and on, and it can be overwhelming. What we have found to be helpful in our work with financial professionals and their clients is to keep it simple.

Research has shown that everyday lifestyle factors can have a tremendous impact on our brain health. So financial professionals can provide added value to clients by sharing reminders of the importance of things like adequate (and high quality!) sleep, diet, regular exercise and finding ways to challenge the brain to learn new things—as well as communicating why these habits are important for those nearing, or in, retirement. For instance, a study at Cardiff University in the U.K. has shown that walking just 30 minutes a day can reduce the risk of dementia by up to 65%. Furthermore, what you eat can have a direct impact on your ability to keep your brain “clean.” And, learning new information—whether tackling a new instrument or trying to master a new language—is a powerful way to keep the brain active.

‘Connect Me To Resources’
We have been challenging the financial professionals we work with to expand their network of resources that they can discuss with and introduce to clients. They all have that network of CPAs and estate planners, which naturally arise via the work that they do. However, we continue to see that if financial professionals can think about building a broader network of longevity resources, they can add tremendous value to clients in a time of need. Trusted aging life care managers, cognitive health specialists and senior health care advisors can all be extremely beneficial to point your clients to when they are faced with big challenges or opportunities associated with longevity.

As clients are living longer, many are facing decades in that retirement phase. We have a great opportunity to provide them with not only financial and retirement advice, but quality of life advice, too. Conversations relating to health can be delicate and sensitive, but providing education and resources proactively will certainly support long-lasting client/financial professional relationships that may prove fruitful to both of you.

Bill McManus is vice president and managing director of applied insights at Hartford Funds.