The Better Health While Aging Podcast

Get practical health tips from a geriatrician and other experts! We discuss common health problems that affect people over age 60, the best ways to prevent and manage those problems, and we also often address common concerns and dilemmas that come up with aging parents and other older loved ones.

062 – Interview: Preventing Hospital Delirium & Maintaining Brain Health

by Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH 10 Comments

Better Health While Aging

062 – Interview: Preventing Hospital Delirium & Maintaining Brain Health

00:00 / 57:35

In This Episode:

Dr. K talks with geriatrician Sharon Inouye, MD MPH, a nationally-known expert on delirium who is Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Director of the Aging Brain Center at the Institute for Aging Research, Hebrew SeniorLife. They discuss:

What is delirium and what are common symptoms of delirium
What are common causes of delirium, and what can make it worse
How Dr. Inouye became interested in studying delirium
The difference between delirium and dementia, and how the two conditions are related
The problem with using restraints and bed alarms, when someone is delirious
How to treat delirium, and how to keep a person safe while delirious
How the Hospital Elder Life Program helps reduce delirium (by 40-60% in some studies!)
Why many hospitals still don’t have a HELP program
The most effective ways to maintain brain health while aging

[Read more…]

061 – Interview: Using Technology to Balance Safety & Autonomy in Dementia

by Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH 2 Comments

Better Health While Aging

061 – Interview: Using Technology to Balance Safety & Autonomy in Dementia

00:00 / 34:27

In This Episode:

Dr. K talks with Mary Hulme, geriatric social worker specialized in dementia and the co-author of “Caring from Afar: A Guide to Home Sensor Systems for Aging Parents.” They discuss:

How geriatric social workers help older adults and families
Why safety is no longer the automatic top priority in social work
How to use an older person’s goals when weighing safety versus autonomy
What is positive risk-taking in dementia
Why Mary likes home sensor systems
Features and options to consider when selecting a PERS system
GPS-enabled devices and options for tracking people with Alzheimer’s or a related dementia
Tips on discussing safety and location tracking with an older relative

[Read more…]

060 – Interview: Negotiating Family Caregiving Expectations After Hospitalization

by Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH Leave a Comment

Better Health While Aging

060 – Interview: Negotiating Family Caregiving Expectations After Hospitalization

00:00 / 1:10:30

In This Episode:

Dr. K talks with caregiving expert Carol Levine, Director of the Families and Health Care Project at the United Hospital Fund of New York and author of “Planning for Long-Term Care for Dummies.” In this episode, they discuss negotiating caregiving expectations with hospital staff and family members, including:

Why it’s common for older adults and their family members to have different ideas of what kind of help is needed after a hospitalization
How to better negotiate what you can and can’t do with hospital staff — or with an older loved one who’s being discharged home
How Carol managed expectations once her husband required significant caregiving
What to know about the new laws (CARE acts) that require hospitals to coordinate with family caregivers
How drawing a “CareMap” can help
Why it’s often worth getting a professional to help you discuss caregiving with family members
How to make hospital discharge decisions if an older person has become confused in the hospital
How family caregivers can reduce guilt and set healthy boundaries

[Read more…]

059 – Interview: Long-Term Care Insurance & Financing Late-Life Care Needs

by Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH Leave a Comment

Better Health While Aging

059 – Interview: Long-Term Care Insurance & Financing Late-Life Care Needs

00:00 / 1:10:40

In This Episode:

Dr. K talks with Howard Gleckman, a family caregiving and long-term care insurance expert who is a senior fellow at the Urban Institute. He is also the author of Caring for Our Parents: Inspiring Stories of Families Seeking New Solutions to America’s Most Urgent Health Crisis. They discuss:

Howard’s own story of caring for his aging in-laws and parents
Who usually pays for the assistance and services that most older people eventually need
Why many people think they have LTC insurance when in fact they don’t
The statistics on how likely you are to need long-term care, and how much it usually costs
Key things to think about when considering LTC insurance
Why boomers are less likely to have family available to help with their late-life care needs
How a public catastrophic LTC insurance program might work
Why there hasn’t been a lot of political pressure to address long-term care issues
Whether it’s better to buy LTC insurance versus save on your own

[Read more…]

058 – Avoiding Missed Flu in Older Adults

by Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH Leave a Comment

Better Health While Aging

058 – Avoiding Missed Flu in Older Adults

00:00 / 43:03

In This Episode:

Dr. K explains why influenza is easily missed in older adults and what families can do, to help their older loved ones get diagnosed and treated before it’s too late. She covers:

Recently published research finding that hospitalized older adults often aren’t tested for the flu virus
Why it’s important to not miss the flu in older adults
The usual symptoms of “influenza-like illness”
Common symptoms of influenza in older adults
Why older adults may not show typical influenza symptoms
What the CDC currently recommends, regarding influenza diagnosis and treatment
What to do, if an older person falls ill during influenza season

[Read more…]

057 – How to Manage Cardiovascular Risk Factors for Better Brain Health

by Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH Leave a Comment

Better Health While Aging

057 – How to Manage Cardiovascular Risk Factors for Better Brain Health

00:00 / 51:04

In This Episode:

Dr. K explains cardiovascular risk factors, which often contribute to cerebral small vessel disease, a common brain health problem in older adults. She covers:

Why blood vessel health is key to brain and heart health
3 key ways blood vessels become damaged over time
What is atherosclerosis
The top risk factor for having a heart attack, stroke, or other cardiovascular event
12 key cardiovascular risk factors to know
5 key approaches every older adult should use, to improve cardiovascular health
What to do, if a brain scan shows signs of cerebral small vessel disease

[Read more…]

056 – Top 10 Checklist for Better Health This Year

by Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH Leave a Comment

Better Health While Aging

056 – Top 10 Checklist for Better Health This Year

00:00 / 34:33

In This Episode:

Dr. K shares her top ten aging health suggestions, for older adults and family caregivers to consider for the New Year. She covers:

Top suggestions for maintaining mobility
Medications known to dampen brain function
The benefits of reviewing medications for safety and usefulness
The most useful information to include in your personal health record
Addressing advance planning for healthcare and for finances
Why it’s so important for older adults to socialize, contribute, and identify activities they love
Life wishlists

[Read more…]

055 – Interview: Bill Thomas on Ageism & Innovations to Improve Aging

by Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH 4 Comments

Better Health While Aging

055 – Interview: Bill Thomas on Ageism & Innovations to Improve Aging

00:00 / 48:16

In This Episode:

Dr. K talks with geriatrician Bill Thomas, MD, founder of ChangingAging.org, the Eden Alternative, and the Green House Project. They discuss his recent efforts to counter ageism and his latest housing-related projects, including:

What is ageism and why is it so pervasive
The stories we tell ourselves about aging (including our own aging) and youth
Thinking about lifespan in terms of childhood, adulthood, and elderhood
Why it’s a problem for older adults to cling to “adulthood” as part of their identities
The words we use and why we might embrace the term “elder”
How having “too much house” is risky in aging, and how a Minka house might help
How Bill Thomas is planning for his own aging
His plan to pilot a “Multi-Ability, multiGenerational, Inclusive, Community” (“MAGIC”) in 2018

[Read more…]

054 – How to Make Difficult Decisions Easier:
Using Goals of Care & Weighing Benefits vs Burdens

by Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH 4 Comments

Better Health While Aging

054 – How to Make Difficult Decisions Easier:
Using Goals of Care & Weighing Benefits vs Burdens

00:00 / 43:22

In This Episode:

Dr. K discusses a reader’s dilemma concerning his resistant 96-year-old father, and explains how using two foundational concepts — goals of care, and weighing benefits versus burdens — can help families work through difficult decisions. (See here for the posted question and her written answer.) She covers:

How to think about whether an older relative may have lost decision-making capacity
The three key goals of medical care: helping people live longer, feel better, and function better
Why thinking through goals of care is foundational in geriatrics
Three common non-medical goals for older adults: autonomy, safety, and privacy
What to do when goals come into conflict
How to use a “benefits versus burdens” framework to think through dilemmas and difficult decisions
How the reader with the resistant 96-year-old father might think through his options
4 suggestions to keep in mind when discussing difficult topics with an older relative

[Read more…]

053 – Interview: Addressing Loneliness in Aging

by Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH 4 Comments

Better Health While Aging

053 – Interview: Addressing Loneliness in Aging

00:00 / 41:24

In This Episode:

Dr. K talks with Carla Perissinotto, MD, Associate Chief for Geriatrics Clinical Programs at UCSF and a nationally known expert on loneliness in aging. Her landmark 2012 study found that loneliness is common among older adults, and is associated with greater declines while aging. They discuss:

What surprised her about her study findings
The difference between being alone, being lonely, and being socially isolated
How social contact and loneliness can impact health while aging
When to worry about someone who lives alone
Whether trying to age in place might increase the risk of social isolation
Different services and options that can help maintain social connections even when it’s hard to leave home
What to do if you’re worried about an older relative who might be lonely
How older adults might plan ahead to reduce their risk of loneliness and social isolation
How loneliness can put aging adults at risk for financial exploitation
Promising approaches to reducing loneliness in aging

[Read more…]

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