Listen To My Latest Podcast Episode:
Cancer Caregiver Support: Caregiving & Bereavement Support with Ronni Levine, LMFT
Listen To My Latest Podcast Episode: Cancer Caregiver Support: Caregiving & Bereavement Support with Ronni Levine, LMFT
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When older adults begin to experience physical or mental health changes, like with dementia disorders, it can be difficult to know the steps to take to be helpful.
It can be particularly difficult for family caregivers to know how to balance independence with concerns for safety.
And, to top it off, you may worry that insisting that your loved one see a doctor may rupture your relationship with them, push them away, or undermine their rights and dignity.
In situations like these, it's essential that we have experts to guide us, people like, Dr. Sara Qualls, Clinical Geropsychologist and Kraemer Family Professor of Aging Studies at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (UCCS).
In this podcast episode, Dr. Qualls discusses:
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With so many questions about the difference between mild cognitive impairment versus dementia versus Alzheimer's Disease, we're glad to have experts like Neurologist, Dr. Jason Karlawish, to provide answers and share tips for staving off dementia when you have mild cognitive impairment.
Dr. Karlawish also implores the healthcare system, pharmaceutical companies, and society at large to change the way we practice inclusion of people living with cognitive disorders.
Whether you're a professional, a family caregiver, or person living with dementia, or all three, this is an interview you don't want to miss.
In today's interview, Dr. Jason Karlawish, Neurologist and Co-Director of the Penn Memory Center answers some of your burning dementia questions, like:
When you care for a loved one with dementia, chances are you have years of experience with this person and are used to communicating with them in a particular way. Dementia changes the way a person thinks, processes information, and understands the information you're sharing, so the way that you communicate with your loved one also needs to change in partnership with the changes in the brain.
Learning how to communicate with a person with dementia takes practice. It's like learning a new language. Thankfully there are experts in dementia communication, like Dr. Natali Edmonds, who can help us develop skills in learning effective dementia communication strategies.
In today's interview, Dr. Natali Edmonds, Geropsychologist and founder of Dementia Careblazers, talks about 3 caregiving communication traps to avoid and shares a very important message to dementia caregivers.
The tips in this...
Chrissy Thelker was 55 years old when she had her first stroke and was subsequently diagnosed with Vascular Dementia.
With more and more people living with dementia, it's imperative that we gain perspective and understanding of the lived experience of people living with dementia and the importance of advocacy, peer support, and building a purpose-filled life living with dementia.
Today's guest shows us how.
Here’s a sneak peek at what you’ll learn from my interview with Chrissy Thelker:
Dementia is one of the most important, but often overlooked, health care issues related to older African Americans.
Research shows that African Americans are two to three times more likely to develop a dementia disorder (compared to European Americans) and at the same time are less likely to be diagnosed early in the disease process and provided with adequate treatment.
Today's guest, Dr. Fayron Epps, Nurse Scientist and Assistant Professor at Emory University, Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, is focused on changing this by improving access to resources and awareness of Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias in African American and faith communities by conducting research and providing education.
Here’s a sneak peek at what you’ll learn from my interview with Dr. Fayron Epps
In my work with people caring for loved ones with dementia, I often hear comments like: "they've become a stranger to me" or "I don't even recognize them anymore".
Dementia is a devastating illness that often robs families of the opportunity to connect and experience joy. Because of this, it's essential that we find a way to share connecting moments, enjoy one another, and see a little piece of the person eclipsed by the shadow of this devastating illness.
And, I have just the person to help us with this!
In this week's episode, I interview Gary Glazner, the founder and Executive Director of the Alzheimer’s Poetry Project. In this interview, Gary generously shares with us strategies facilitating communication and connection with our loved ones with dementia and even shares about his own experience bringing poetry to his mom at the end of her life.
Here’s a sneak peek at what...
In 2006, Gina Martin's mother, Diane, was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's Disease and died 5 years later. In a tragic yet poetic twist of fate, her father died 3 months later on his birthday of a "broken heart".
To honor her parents and raise awareness about dementia, Gina created the Bob and Diane Fund, which grants a $5,000 award each November to an artist depicting the dementia journey through the lens of photography.
Here’s a sneak peek at what you’ll learn from my interview with Gina Martin:
A few weeks ago, I received an email from a listener:
"Hello, Dr. Regina,
"I work in an assisted living facility. As the election approaches, family members of residents on memory care units have asked to have residents vote. Residents on this unit are here because they're unable to make informed decisions and don't have a grasp on reality. Also, the particular resident shows no interest in wanting to vote. It's the family that essentially wants to cast a vote for the individual, which seems unethical to me. I've tried reaching out to professional groups for some guidance to no avail.
Do you have any thoughts regarding this topic?"
Older adults tend to vote more often and more consistently than other age groups. According to a US News Report, in 2018, 64% of adults age 65 and older voted in the November 2018 election, the best turnout of any age group. With this said, 10% of older adults, however, will experience a...
Caregivers often approach me with the question: "my parent had dementia, does that mean I'll get it too?"
It's a scary thing to devote years of your life caring for a loved one with dementia and all the while wonder if you will end up developing dementia, too.
Today on the podcast, our favorite Neuropsychologist, Dr. Vonetta Dotson, is back to talk with us about genetic risk for dementia and reminds us that even if you have an increased risk for developing dementia, there's a lot that you can do to prevent it. Listen all the way through and you’ll learn several easy to use strategies you can start using today to reduce your risk of developing dementia.
To help you navigate the turbulent waters of memory loss and dementia, I created a memory loss guide for you to use. In this guide, you’ll get a checklist of memory loss warning signs, learn more about the benefits of early diagnosis of dementia and...
You’ve heard people say “she’s doing great! She’s old, but she’s all there!” or “he’s 90 and still so sharp!”
These statements about older adults make the assumption that with aging comes serious cognitive problems, like dementia! But, these ideas are actually not supported by science and in fact, are a myth.
In today’s episode, I answer the question...
Older adults have mental health needs just like everyone else. But here’s the thing: Older adults are often left out of the conversation when it comes to mental health and wellness. Together we can change this.
I created the Psychology of Aging Podcast to have conversations about mental health and wellness that include older adults. We talk about common mental health concerns as we age, resources to help older adults live their best lives, and we have fun doing it.
Stay mentally and physically well during the Coronavirus Pandemic with my wellness guide for older adults.
Learn all about dementia in this FREE Dementia 101 Guide!
Worried about your aging loved one's driving? Know the warning signs!
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