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.

099 – Flu Shots for Older Adults: What to Know (2019 Update)

by Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH Leave a Comment

Better Health While Aging

099 – Flu Shots for Older Adults: What to Know (2019 Update)

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 also reports on the statistics from last year’s flu season. This episode 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

[Read more…]

098 – Interview: Medicare Open Enrollment: What to Know & When to Switch

by Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH 18 Comments

Better Health While Aging

098 – Interview: Medicare Open Enrollment: What to Know & When to Switch

00:00 / 58:00

In This Episode:

Dr. K talks with Michelle Allen, LCSW, about what all older adults and families should know about Medicare Open Enrollment and understanding your Medicare coverage. Michelle is an experienced social worker and geriatric care manager based in Atlanta, and is a featured expert providing guidance in Dr. K’s Helping Older Parents Membership. They discuss:

The surprisingly common misunderstandings that people often have about their Medicare coverage
The difference between traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage plan
What is Medigap, what is secondary insurance, and what is supplemental insurance
How to find out just what type of Medicare coverage you or your older relative has
How to know whether it’s worth considering a plan switch during Medicare Open Enrollment
Why it’s a good idea to request a medication review before reviewing your Part D prescription coverage
What to consider if you frequently spend time traveling or living in other states
How to get free help understanding your Medicare coverage options

[Read more…]

097 – Interview: Common Elder Law Issues When Helping Aging Parents

by Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH Leave a Comment

Better Health While Aging

097 – Interview: Common Elder Law Issues When Helping Aging Parents

00:00 / 1:00:59

In This Episode:

Dr. K talks with elder law and estate planning attorney, Mark Gilfix, JD, about common legal issues that come up when helping aging parents. He is a partner at Gilfix & La Poll Associates, a Bay Area law firm that helped pioneer elder law. They discuss:

What is elder law and how it differs from estate planning and trust law
Why a durable power of attorney (DPOA) is a vital elder law planning tool
How DPOAs come into play if there are memory issues or other capacity concerns
The role of attorneys in checking capacity when their clients complete legal documents
What happens if you contact an older parent’s attorney with concerns about memory or capacity
The risks of undue influence, financial exploitation, and family members having an agenda
What people can do if they are concerned about the validity of an older person’s legal transaction
Options when a potentially impaired older parent refuses to release DPOA documents to family
Why it’s best for families to communicate early and often
How elder law attorneys can help with long-term care planning
Tips on starting planning conversations with your family

[Read more…]

096 – Interview: Paying for Long-Term Care: 2019 Updates

by Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH Leave a Comment

Better Health While Aging

096 – Interview: Paying for Long-Term Care: 2019 Updates

00:00 / 1:10:03

In This Episode:

Dr. K talks with Howard Gleckman, senior fellow at the Urban Institute and an expert on how policy and tax issues affect older adults and their long-term care. 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:

What is “long-term care” and who usually ends up paying for it
Why so many older adults end up needing some form of long-term care
That it’s Medicaid, not Medicare, that sometimes covers long-term care needs for older adults
What “triggers” need to occur for long- term care insurance policies to kick-in
Currently available options to pay for long-term care and “ongoing living assistance”
Why insurers have had difficulty offering affordable long-term care insurance
What happened to the federal long-term care program the CLASS act
How Washington State’s new public long-term care insurance plan is set up, and why it won’t help today’s older adults
The new Medicare rules that might enable Medicare Advantage plans to offer the “non-medical” services that can help older adults age in place
What are the benefits of Medicare Advantage care plans
What politicians are saying about this, and why we don’t hear more about long-term care issues

[Read more…]

095 – Interview: Hearing Aids & Other Hearing Loss Treatment Options

by Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH 6 Comments

Better Health While Aging

095 – Interview: Hearing Aids & Other Hearing Loss Treatment Options

00:00 / 59:16

In This Episode:

Dr. K talks about hearing aids and other ways to address hearing loss with Meg Wallhagen, PhD, Professor of Gerontological Nursing at UCSF’s School of Nursing. She is a nationally recognized expert on hearing loss and has been on the board of the Hearing Loss Association of America since 2010. This episode is Part 2 of a two-part series on hearing loss. They discuss:

Why people may be entitled to workplace accommodations to address hearing loss
What should take place during an initial audiology evaluation
How audiologists adjust and fit hearing aids, and what to expect from a good audiology provider
What to expect from using hearing aids
Common hearing aid options to consider, & how to choose a hearing aid
Why it’s good to get a hearing aid with a telecoil
Why the brain needs time to adjust to hearing aids & why it’s essential to use them regularly
Who shouldn’t get hearing aids
Why a “Pocket Talker” can be a good option for people with dementia
Other alternatives to hearing aids, such as special phones
Why it’s important to address hearing loss sooner rather than later
Other simple ways to improve communication with older adults with hearing loss
Recent developments in over-the-counter hearing aids and personal sound amplification products (PSAPs)

[Read more…]

094 – Interview: Hearing Loss in Aging: Why It Matters & Getting Evaluated

by Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH 10 Comments

Better Health While Aging

094 – Interview: Hearing Loss in Aging: Why It Matters & Getting Evaluated

00:00 / 00:59:15

In This Episode:

Dr. K talks about how we can help older adults address hearing loss with Meg Wallhagen, PhD, Professor of Gerontological Nursing at UCSF’s School of Nursing. She is a nationally recognized expert on hearing loss and has been on the board of the Hearing Loss Association of America since 2010. This episode is Part 1 of a two-part series on hearing loss. They discuss:

Why hearing loss in aging usually causes distortion of sounds, and how that affects understanding speech (and grandchildren)
Why it usually doesn’t help to speak more loudly to someone with hearing loss
How hearing loss affects the health, wellbeing, and social relationships of older adults
Why older people often don’t want to address hearing loss
The problem of healthcare professionals overlooking hearing loss
How hearing loss affects brain function
Why it can become harder to successfully address hearing loss once it’s severe
How hearing loss should be evaluated and what happens during a hearing test
Why poor Medicare coverage of hearing loss often creates barriers to care
How Professor Wallhagen’s brochure can help older adults agree to address hearing loss

[Read more…]

093 – Interview: Hiring In-Home Care for Aging in Place: What to Know

by Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH Leave a Comment

Better Health While Aging

093 – Interview: Hiring In-Home Care for Aging in Place: What to Know

00:00 / 48:34

In This Episode:

Dr. K talks with Michelle Allen, LCSW, about what families should know, when they want to obtain or hire in-home care to help an older person with aging in place. Michelle is an experienced social worker and geriatric care manager based in Atlanta, and is a featured expert providing guidance in Dr. K’s Helping Older Parents Membership Community. They discuss:

How geriatric social workers (and geriatric care managers) help older adults and families address aging issues
Why families and older adults usually seek out privately paid in-home care
Why most of the home care services older adults need to age in place are not covered by Medicare
What is “home health care,” and how to get Medicare to pay for certain medically skilled home services
What to know about hiring paid in-home caregivers
The pros and cons of hiring through an agency versus hiring an individual caregiver
Why families have to pay taxes, if they hire someone without going through an agency
Common mistakes that families make, when hiring in-home help to assist an older person
Why aging in place may not work out, and how to plan for other options
The benefits of working with “life care planning” elder law firms, which provide geriatric care coordinators such as Michelle

[Read more…]

092- Interview: Addressing Nighttime Urination & Insomnia in Aging

by Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH 20 Comments

Better Health While Aging

092- Interview: Addressing Nighttime Urination & Insomnia in Aging

00:00 / 58:21

In This Episode:

Dr. K talks with geriatrician Shachi Tyagi, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Pittsburg. Her research focuses on two common issues in older adults, insomnia and having to urinate at night (nocturia). They discuss:

Why nocturia becomes common as we age
Common health problems that may be related to nocturia
The relationship between nocturia and sleep problems
How nocturia should be assessed and how it can be managed
“Brief behavioral treatment” and other recommended insomnia treatments that can also improve nocturia
Why sleep medications should be avoided in aging
How to reduce the risk of nighttime falls related to nocturia
Options for addressing nocturia and sleep issues in dementia
Tips on tracking bladder and sleep symptoms, and how to get help from your health providers

[Read more…]

091 – Interview: Reducing the Risk of Power of Attorney Abuse

by Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH Leave a Comment

Better Health While Aging

091 – Interview: Reducing the Risk of Power of Attorney Abuse

00:00 / 53:26

In This Episode:

Dr. K speaks with senior attorney David Godfrey, JD, of the American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging, about drafting better power of attorney documents so as to reduce the risk of abuse. David works closely with the National Center on Law and Elder Rights and authored an issue brief in 2018 that covers advance planning and how to avoid exploitation. They discuss:

What is a general durable power of attorney (POA) and why every person should complete one
Common reasons why older adults may need someone else to transact business for them, such as temporary or permanent incapacity
Why court intervention may be necessary if an older person does not have a POA
How POAs can be used for financial exploitation, and how drafting protections in the POA document can reduce the risk of abuse
6 key precautions to take, when drafting a general durable power of attorney
How requiring third party accounting can reduce family conflict
Why it’s a good idea to require a second signature for major transactions
The benefits of granting the power to revoke the POA to a third party
How older adults can find affordable legal assistance, for help drafting a POA
Options for older adults who have no close family available to serve as an agent
Resources to help guide agents to manage power of attorney duties

[Read more…]

090 – More on Avoiding Risky Medications & on Using the 2019 AGS Beers Criteria

by Leslie Kernisan, MD MPH 2 Comments

Better Health While Aging

090 – More on Avoiding Risky Medications & on Using the 2019 AGS Beers Criteria

00:00 / 00:40:21

In This Episode:

Dr. K provides more information on what’s included in the 2019 update of the American Geriatrics Society AGS Beers Criteria® for Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use in Older Adults, with a focus on which drugs she thinks are most important to avoid. She also addresses which medications are associated with falls, cognitive impairment, and other key conditions. She covers:

How the 2019 Beers Criteria is organized
Options for accessing the 2019 update
Which medications should be avoided in people with memory problems, per the Beers Criteria
Which drugs to avoid or use with caution if you have a history of falls or fractures
Other common risky medications to be aware of
What to know about opioid painkillers and the 2019 Beers Criteria
5 things you can do to be proactive about medications safety in aging
Where to find consumer brochures that can help you discuss deprescribing for the most common risky medications

[Read more…]

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