Episode Archive - Page 15 of 20 - Better Health While Aging

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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052 – Maintaining Mobility & Preventing Falls in Aging: Myths & Truths

by Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH Leave a Comment

Better Health While Aging

052 – Maintaining Mobility & Preventing Falls in Aging: Myths & Truths

00:00 / 43:37

In This Episode:

Dr. K talks with Tiffany Shubert, PT PhD, a practicing physical therapist and a leading expert on exercise for fall prevention. They discuss the best ways to maintain mobility and prevent falls in aging, including:

Why walking is often not enough, when it comes to fall prevention
Why strong legs and good balance are crucial, and which exercises help develop this
How much exercise older adults should aim to do every week
How to figure out if an older person is tired due to doing too much versus not enough
The truths about chair exercises
The truth about water exercises
Whether canes prevent falls, and how they can be helpful
What to know about canes and walkers in dementia
How to find a high-quality exercise program that will build strength in aging
When trekking poles can be a good option to support safer mobility
What to know about yoga for fall prevention, and why tai chi might be a better choice

[Read more…]

051 – Interview: Innovations to Help Older Adults & Family Caregivers

by Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH 2 Comments

Better Health While Aging

051 – Interview: Innovations to Help Older Adults & Family Caregivers

00:00 / 37:30

In This Episode:

Dr. K talks with Anne Tumlinson, an expert in long-term care and the founder of the caregiving organization Daughterhood.org. They discuss the upcoming Aging 2.0 Optimize Conference, promising innovations to help family caregivers and more. Their conversation addresses:

Which problems that come up the most in the Daughterhood.org community
Why it’s so hard for families to navigate the healthcare system
Promising age-friendly health innovations
Options for addressing aging in place and aging in the right place
Dr. Bill Thomas’s new Minka customizable house project
How transportation innovations can help older adults
The peer-to-peer aging health coaching being pioneered by AgeWell Global
What Anne learned from helping the Caregiver Action Network develop training to help families learn to make decisions

[Read more…]

050 – Flu Shots for Older Adults: What to Know

by Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH Leave a Comment

Better Health While Aging

050 – Flu Shots for Older Adults: What to Know

00:00 / 40:53

In This Episode:

Dr. K explains what all older adults and family caregivers should know about annual vaccination against influenza. She covers:

What is influenza, and how many people are affected every year
Why older adults are at higher risk of harm from the flu
How the vaccine works
The two key ways you can protect yourself from the flu
How pneumococcal vaccination helps protect against flu complications
What to know about flu shots designed for older adults
Which influenza vaccine she thinks is best for most older adults
What to do if your older relative is unable or unwilling to get vaccinated

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049 – Better Primary Care for Older Adults:
the Oak Street Health Story

by Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH Leave a Comment

Better Health While Aging

049 – Better Primary Care for Older Adults:
the Oak Street Health Story

00:00 / 1:04:36

In This Episode:

Dr. K talks with Griffin Myers, MD, Chief Medical Officer of Oak Street Health, a Chicago-based network of primary care clinics designed to serve older adults. They discuss:

What makes Oak Street Health’s primary care different from usual primary care
Why every patient is assigned to a team and not just a doctor
How Oak Street Health uses patient relations managers, care managers, pharmacists, and other team members to address issues that many primary care providers don’t
The problems with fee-for-service in primary care, and the benefits of accountable care
How Oak Street Health is able to serve seniors of all income levels, without charging extra fees
How they help older adults avoid risky medications
Advice for innovators developing health technologies for aging adults

[Read more…]

048 – How Cerebral Small Vessel Disease Affects Most Aging Brains

by Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH 10 Comments

Better Health While Aging

048 – How Cerebral Small Vessel Disease Affects Most Aging Brains

00:00 / 40:55

In This Episode:

Dr. K explains what to know about cerebral small vessel disease (SVD), a very common brain condition linked to cognitive decline, balance and walking problems, dementia, and other significant health issues. She covers:

Common terms used by radiologists to describe this condition, such as “white matter disease,””small vessel ischemia,” and others
What is cerebral SVD
What are the symptoms that can be caused by this condition
Risk factors and other potential causes for cerebral SVD
How to treat and prevent cerebral SVD
Why it’s not usually a good idea to request an MRI to check for this condition
What to do if you’re concerned about cerebral SVD for yourself or an older loved one

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