Helping Older Parents Podcast

013 - How to Pay for Eldercare for Aging Parents

Better Health While Aging — Wed, 29 Nov 2023 20:22:02 +0000

Dr. Kernisan & geriatric care manager Michelle explain options for paying for senior care, including for aging in place, residential facilities, memory care & more.

012 – How to get an aging parent to accept help

Better Health While Aging — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 17:10:09 +0000

Geriatrician Dr. Leslie Kernisan and geriatric care manager Linda Fodrini Johnson explain how to get an aging parent to accept help in the home, especially if the parent has memory loss or other thinking problems.

011 – How to Respond to False Accusations from Aging Parents

Better Health While Aging — Tue, 11 Jul 2023 22:59:59 +0000

Dr. K and geriatric care manager Linda Fodrini Johnson discuss how to respond to false accusations made by older adults, particularly from those experiencing memory loss or thinking problems.

010 – How to Know if Your Aging Parent Should Still be Making Decisions

Better Health While Aging — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 05:00:45 +0000

In This Episode:

Dr. K explains what all family caregivers should know about decision-making capacity, especially if there’s a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease or another type of dementia. Plus how incapacity is confirmed to activate a power of attorney.

She covers:

How to recognize signs of “mental incompetence”
4 decision-making abilities needed for capacity
Why capacity is decision-specific
Incapacity vs incompetence
How to get an older person’s decision-making capacity assessed by professional
How to activate a “springing” power of attorney

Related Resources:

009 – If Your Aging Parent is Resisting a Memory Loss Evaluation

Better Health While Aging — Tue, 20 Sep 2022 05:00:45 +0000

In This Episode:

Dr. K explains what you can do, if your aging parent has been refusing to see the doctor for their memory or thinking problems. She covers:

Why older adults are often reluctant to get medically evaluated for memory loss
5 tactics that families can use to try to persuade the older person
How to trigger less fear of the evaluation
How to frame the evaluation in a positive way for your parent
If they are still refusing despite your best efforts

Related Resources:

Related article: What You Can Do if You’re Worried About “Incompetence”
Related article: Incompetence & Losing Capacity: Answers to 8 FAQs
Free online training: Memory Loss & Safety: How to Have Better Talks & Fewer Fights With Your Aging Parent
Dr. Kernisan’s book: When Your Aging Parent Needs Help: A Geriatrician’s Step-by-Step Guide to Memory Loss, Resistance, Safety Worries, & More
Get 12 weeks of expert guidance from Dr. K and her team of geriatric care managers, on how & when to step in to help a parent with memory loss: Helping Older Parents with Early Memory Loss Program

008 – Is getting a memory loss evaluation really worth the trouble?

Better Health While Aging — Tue, 13 Sep 2022 05:00:45 +0000

In This Episode:

People with memory loss often refuse to see a doctor. So how important is it for them to go and get medically evaluated? Dr. K answers this common question in this episode. She covers:

Why aging parents with memory loss often resist evaluation
6 specific benefits of getting evaluated
The most common cognitive tests used in the initial evaluation
How long it might take to get an actual diagnosis
How an evaluation can help you address safety concerns.

Related Resources:

Related article: How We Diagnose Dementia: The Practical Basics to Know
Free online training: Memory Loss & Safety: How to Have Better Talks & Fewer Fights With Your Aging Parent
Dr. Kernisan’s book: When Your Aging Parent Needs Help: A Geriatrician’s Step-by-Step Guide to Memory Loss, Resistance, Safety Worries, & More
Get 12 weeks of expert guidance from Dr. K and her team of geriatric care managers, on how & when to step in to help a parent with memory loss: Helping Older Parents with Early Memory Loss Program

007 – How to Talk to Your Parent About Their Memory Loss

Better Health While Aging — Tue, 06 Sep 2022 05:00:45 +0000

In This Episode:

What can you do if your aging parent with memory loss refuses to admit to their problems, or is waving off your suggestions that they get help? In this episode, Dr. K explains how to discuss memory loss and other worrisome symptoms with your aging parent. She covers:

A simple technique that will quickly improve your conversations
A 5-step framework for talking to your parent about their memory loss issues
Sample phrases to start the conversation
What YOU need to learn from the conversation (and why)
How to end on a positive note

Related Resources:

Free online training: Memory Loss & Safety: How to Have Better Talks & Fewer Fights With Your Aging Parent
Dr. Kernisan’s book: When Your Aging Parent Needs Help: A Geriatrician’s Step-by-Step Guide to Memory Loss, Resistance, Safety Worries, & More
Get 12 weeks of expert guidance from Dr. K and her team of geriatric care managers, on how & when to step in to help a parent with memory loss: Helping Older Parents with Early Memory Loss Program

006 – 10 Warning Signs of Early Alzheimer’s Disease

Better Health While Aging — Tue, 30 Aug 2022 05:00:45 +0000

In This Episode:

When an older person starts to develop symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia, what are the earliest warning signs to look out for? In this episode, Dr. K explains 10 warning signs that often catch her attention.

She covers:

Why her list isn’t quite the same as that of the Alzheimer’s Association
10 early warning signs she considers especially important
What to know about “lack of insight” (also known as “anosognosia”)
What to know about accusations, delusions, and paranoia
What to do if you notice possible warning signs in your older loved one

Related Resources:

Related article: 8 Behaviors to Take Note of if You Think Someone Might Have Alzheimer’s
Free online training: Memory Loss & Safety: How to Have Better Talks & Fewer Fights With Your Aging Parent
Dr. Kernisan’s book: When Your Aging Parent Needs Help: A Geriatrician’s Step-by-Step Guide to Memory Loss, Resistance, Safety Worries, & More
Get 12 weeks of expert guidance from Dr. K and her team of geriatric care managers, on how & when to step in to help a parent with memory loss: Helping Older Parents with Early Memory Loss Program

005 – How ADLs and IADLs Change in Early Alzheimer’s

Better Health While Aging — Tue, 23 Aug 2022 05:00:45 +0000

In This Episode:

When an aging parent develops memory loss, or other signs that might be early Alzheimer’s disease, how does that affect their ability to manage their self-care tasks, such as Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs)? Dr. K explains what types of problems families should anticipate and check for.

She covers:

How memory loss affects ADLs & IADLs
Common IADL problems in early Alzheimer’s
Managing medication in early Alzheimer’s
What to do after identifying IADL or ADL issues

Related Resources:

Related article: What are Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) & Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs)?
Free online training: Memory Loss & Safety: How to Have Better Talks & Fewer Fights With Your Aging Parent
Dr. Kernisan’s book: When Your Aging Parent Needs Help: A Geriatrician’s Step-by-Step Guide to Memory Loss, Resistance, Safety Worries, & More
Get 12 weeks of expert guidance from Dr. K and her team of geriatric care managers, on how & when to step in to help a parent with memory loss: Helping Older Parents with Early Memory Loss Program

004 – What are ADLs and IADLs (& why they matter in memory loss)

Better Health While Aging — Tue, 16 Aug 2022 05:00:45 +0000

In This Episode:

Dr. K explains what are Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs), and why they matter when it comes to helping older adults age in place. She also explains why they are part of diagnosing mild cognitive impairment vs dementia, and their role in certain aspects of eldercare.

She covers:

4 ways ADLs and IADLs are used in eldercare
Why eldercare professionals often assess ADLs and IADLs
Why ADLs and IADLs matter in memory loss
What are ADLs
What are IADLs
The difference between ADLs and IADLs
How ADLs and IADLs are assessed
Why these are essential to assess if your parent wants to age in place

Related Resources:

Related article: What are Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) & Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs)?
Free online training: Memory Loss & Safety: How to Have Better Talks & Fewer Fights With Your Aging Parent
Dr. Kernisan’s book: When Your Aging Parent Needs Help: A Geriatrician’s Step-by-Step Guide to Memory Loss, Resistance, Safety Worries, & More
Get 12 weeks of expert guidance from Dr. K and her team of geriatric care managers, on how & when to step in to help a parent with memory loss: Helping Older Parents with Early Memory Loss Program

003 – Mild Cognitive Impairment, Alzheimer’s, & Dementia: What’s the difference?

Better Health While Aging — Thu, 11 Aug 2022 06:00:45 +0000

In This Episode:

Dr. K answers a question she is often asked: “What’s the difference between Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and mild cognitive impairment (also known as MCI)?” She covers:

What it means to have “cognitive impairment”
The definition of “mild cognitive impairment” (MCI) and how it’s diagnosed
What is dementia, and the diagnostic criteria for diagnosing dementia
The difference between Alzheimer’s disease and dementia
What it means to have “preclinical” Alzheimer’s disease
How Alzheimer’s disease is diagnosed
What to know about the new Alzheimer’s drug aducanumab (Aduhelm)
How to use this information if your parent is getting evaluated for memory loss or cognitive decline

Related Resources:

Related article: How We Diagnose Dementia: The Practical Basics to Know
Related article: How to Diagnose & Treat Mild Cognitive Impairment
Free online training: Memory Loss & Safety: How to Have Better Talks & Fewer Fights With Your Aging Parent
Dr. Kernisan’s book: When Your Aging Parent Needs Help: A Geriatrician’s Step-by-Step Guide to Memory Loss, Resistance, Safety Worries, & More
Get 12 weeks of expert guidance from Dr. K and her team of geriatric care managers, on how & when to step in to help a parent with memory loss: Helping Older Parents with Early Memory Loss Program

002 – 10 Causes of Memory Loss in Aging Parents

Better Health While Aging — Wed, 10 Aug 2022 12:00:45 +0000

In This Episode:

Dr. K explains several different health conditions that can cause memory loss in older adults and in aging parents, and why memory loss doesn’t mean a person is developing Alzheimer’s disease.

She covers:

10 common causes of memory loss that she checks for, when an aging person is developing short-term memory loss or other signs of thinking problems
How identifying the cause of memory loss can lead to better cognitive function for the older person

Related episode:

001 – Is Memory Loss Normal in Aging?

Related Resources:

Related article: Cognitive Impairment in Aging: 10 Common Causes & 10 Things the Doctor Should Check
Free online training: Memory Loss & Safety: How to Have Better Talks & Fewer Fights With Your Aging Parent
Dr. Kernisan’s book: When Your Aging Parent Needs Help: A Geriatrician’s Step-by-Step Guide to Memory Loss, Resistance, Safety Worries, & More
Get 12 weeks of expert guidance from Dr. K and her team of geriatric care managers, on how & when to step in to help a parent with memory loss: Helping Older Parents with Early Memory Loss Program

Never Miss an Episode! Sign up here to be notified of our latest podcast episodes by email

001 – Is Memory Loss Normal in Aging?

Better Health While Aging — Mon, 08 Aug 2022 12:00:45 +0000

In This Episode:

Dr. K explains why short-term memory loss is not normal in aging, and what to do if your parent has become forgetful. She also explains what types of memory changes ARE normal with aging.

Related Resources:

Related article: 6 Ways that Memory & Thinking Change with Normal Aging (& What to Do About This)
Free online training: Memory Loss & Safety: How to Have Better Talks & Fewer Fights With Your Aging Parent
Dr. Kernisan’s book: When Your Aging Parent Needs Help: A Geriatrician’s Step-by-Step Guide to Memory Loss, Resistance, Safety Worries, & More
Get 12 weeks of expert guidance from Dr. K and her team of geriatric care managers, on how & when to step in to help a parent with memory loss: Helping Older Parents with Early Memory Loss Program