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.

063 – Giving Yourself (And Your Family) a Gift on National Healthcare Decisions Day

by Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH Leave a Comment

In This Episode:

Dr. K shares a personal story and explains why it’s so important to take the time to talk with others and make plans to provide others with guidance, since most of us will at some point be unable to make our own healthcare decisions. She covers:

The importance of National Healthcare Decisions Day
What “advance care planning” means, and why it’s more than completing legal forms
Four key steps in advance care planning
Why it’s essential to have conversations with others, including with healthcare providers and with family
Two free online tools you can use to guide you through reflection, conversations, and completing paperwork
Five common pitfalls to avoid if possible
Five questions you can ask yourself, every April when it’s National Healthcare Decisions Day

[Read more…]

062 – Interview: Preventing Hospital Delirium & Maintaining Brain Health

by Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH Leave a Comment

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

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

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

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…]

The Better Health While Aging Podcast

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