The Better Health While Aging Podcast

In This Episode:

Dr. K provides updated information on the effectiveness and safety of COVID vaccination for older adults, including information on the Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson&Johnson vaccines. She also addresses FAQs about coronavirus vaccination.

This episode covers:

• How we can tell the COVID vaccines are working
• Data on how COVID cases and deaths have fallen in nursing homes and among people aged 85+
• Current COVID mortality rates in older adults
• What the latest observational studies show, regarding vaccine effectiveness in people over age 80
• What the Johnson & Johnson vaccine trial data shows, when it comes to older adults with chronic conditions
• What’s been found so far, regarding vaccine safety
• Answers to FAQs, including:
  • Should I get vaccinated against COVID?
  • Should my 90-year-old parent get the COVID vaccine?
  • How well does the vaccine work in older adults?
  • Can you get COVID if you’ve been vaccinated?
  • Should you be vaccinated if you already had COVID?
  • Which COVID vaccine is best for seniors? Which vaccine is safest?
  • Should I worry that the vaccine might harm me (or my frail older parent)?
  • When can I get vaccinated? Which vaccine should I try to get?
  • If I’ve been vaccinated, is it safe to …?
• Dr. K’s current recommendations regarding COVID vaccination and staying safe given current conditions

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In This Episode:

Guest host Dr. Nicole Didyk explains what older adults and families should know about leg edema (swollen legs), a common condition that affects aging adults. Dr. Didyk is a geriatrician in Canada, and the founder of the blog and YouTube channel The Wrinkle.

She discusses:

• Why is it common for the lower legs to swell?
• What are the most common medical causes of leg edema and what are some serious causes that should not be missed?
• Which common medications can make leg swelling worse?
• When should you seek immediate medical attention for swollen legs?
• How can chronically swollen legs be treated?
• What to know about using diuretics (water pills) for swollen legs

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In This Episode:

Dr. K talks to fellow geriatrician Dr. Nicole Didyk about her new book: When Your Aging Parent Needs Help: A geriatrician’s guide to memory loss, safety worries, resistance, and more. Dr. Didyk is the founder of the blog and YouTube channel The Wrinkle.

They discuss:

• What led Dr. K to create this step-by-step guide for children of aging parents
• Why the book is set up in four sections: taking stock, taking aim, taking action, plus taking the long view
• How to communicate with your aging parent attentively and respectfully
• How dementia and other memory or thinking issues often play a key role in an older adult’s resistance to change
• Why she included practical “real-life” examples and printable downloadable “cheatsheets” that readers can reference
• The A-B-C-D-E framework for taking action to help an aging parent
• Why adult children often need to check themselves and accept their parents’ choices

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In This Episode:

Dr. K discussed the new Pfizer coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine, with a special focus on understanding how well it works and how safe it is, in aging adults.

This episode covers:

• What to know about vaccine media reports and older adults
• Why it’s important to try to find out the actual ages (and age distribution) of older participants in vaccine trials
• How Dr. K looks at a published study to determine whether the vaccine works for her patients
• Why the current Pfizer data can’t tell us whether the vaccine works in people over age 75
• Why an expert dissented from the CDC’s decision to prioritize vaccination for nursing home residents
• Dr. K’s current recommendations regarding COVID vaccination and keeping frail older adults safe during the pandemic

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In This Episode:

Dr. K shares an update on the coronavirus (COVID19) situation and more recommendations to help older adults and people concerned about aging parents.

This episode covers:

• The coronavirus situation today
• Why COVID rates are so high right now
• Latest developments in treatment & vaccination
• What this means for older adults
• If you’re wondering “Is it safe to…?”
• Dr. K’s recommendations for the holidays and winter

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