Dr. K discusses the latest COVID news for 2023, including what’s most important for aging adults and their families to know for the spring. She also covers the problem of doctors inappropriately not prescribing Paxlovid (the best treatment if an older adult does catch COVID), and how to advocate to get it successfully.

In this episode:

• The current COVID & flu situation (cases & hospitalizations)
• About the new Covid variant XBB.1.5
• What the public health emergency ending will mean for you
• How to know if you need to worry about COVID
• What to know about COVID reinfections
• If you’re high risk and need to avoid catching COVID
• Update on the bivalent COVID booster
• When can you get your next COVID booster?
• Update on masks to prevent COVID
• COVID symptoms in 2023
• The best treatment for COVID (Paxlovid) & an FDA checklist that can help you get it
• Summary of what to know for COVID in Spring 2023

Note: For the masks Dr. K recommends, you can get 3M Aura here https://amzn.to/3PJJyRO, the 3M V-flex here https://amzn.to/3OxrsRY, and the Powecom KN95 here https://amzn.to/3W9frXf

These are Amazon affiliate links, so any purchases will help support Better Health While Aging, thank you!

Related Episodes:

131 – COVID Update for Aging Adults (12.8.22 Edition)

Related Resources:

• BHWA:
  • COVID & Aging Adults: 2023 & 2022 Updates
  • COVID Vaccination for Aging Adults: What to Know & Do
• To track COVID data:
  • NY Times COVID Tracker
  • Wastewater:
    • CDC Wastewater Surveillance
    • Biobot.io wastewater tracker
  • Walgreens Test Positivity Tracker
  • OurWorldInData.org Coronavirus Data Explorer
  • CDC Nursing Home Covid-19 Data Dashboard
  • CDC Variant Proportion Tracker
  • CDC COVID cases and deaths by vaccine status
• CDC & FDA information referenced in this update:
  • FDA: PAXLOVID Patient Eligibility Screening Checklist Tool for Prescribers
  • CDC: Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) Presentation Slides: February 22-24, 2023 Meeting
    • Updates to COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness in the United States
  • FDA: Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee January 26, 2023 Meeting
  • Weekly U.S. Influenza Surveillance Report
  • CDC: RSV National Trends
• From medical journals and research groups:
  • NIH COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines: Molnupiravir
  • Molnupiravir plus usual care versus usual care alone as early treatment for adults with COVID-19 at increased risk of adverse outcomes (PANORAMIC): an open-label, platform-adaptive randomised controlled trial (12/22/22)
  • Lancet: Past SARS-CoV-2 infection protection against re-infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis (2/16/23)
  • Cochrane: Physical interventions to interrupt or reduce the spread of respiratory viruses (1/30/23)
    • See related commentary: Multiple studies show that face masks reduce the spread of COVID-19; a Cochrane review doesn't demonstrate otherwise
  • Paxlovid Associated with Decreased Hospitalization Rate Among Adults with COVID-19 United States, April September 2022 12/2/22
• From news and other media:
  • What Not to Ask Me About My Long COVID (2/15/23)
  • PBS/KQED: When Can I Get a Second Bivalent COVID Booster? Here’s What We Know Right Now (2/22/23)
  • KFF.org The End of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency: Details on Health Coverage and Access
    • More detailed: What Happens When COVID-19 Emergency Declarations End? Implications for Coverage, Costs, and Access
• For masking, ventilation COVID transmission information:
  • Masks Dr. K uses:
    • 3M V-flex N95
    • 3M Aura N95
    • Powecom KN95
  • Project N95
  • Twitter resources
    • @joeyfox85
    • @masknerd

The post 132 COVID 2023 News Update for Aging Adults (2.23.23 Edition) appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

Dr. K discusses what aging adults & families should know about COVID and flu this winter.

She covers:

• The currently increasing rates of COVID & flu
• What to know about the new Omicron subvariants BQ.1 and BQ.1.1
• How well the fall COVID bivalent booster is working so far
• How to avoid getting sick and how to gather safely
• When to mask and how to do so effectively
• Why use a HEPA air purifier at home and how to choose one
• How to detect COVID now
• How to treat COVID
• Her top recommendations for staying safe during winter gatherings

Note: you can get the CO2 monitor Dr. K refers to here: https://amzn.to/3yhDtq8.

For the masks Dr. K is using, you can get 3M Aura here https://amzn.to/3PJJyRO, the 3M V-flex here https://amzn.to/3OxrsRY, and the Powecom KN95 here https://amzn.to/3W9frXf

Dr. K’s HEPA air purifier is here https://amzn.to/3Y96crN

These are Amazon affiliate links, so any purchases will help support Better Health While Aging, thank you!

Related Episodes:

130 COVID Booster Update for Aging Adults (9.7.22 Edition)

Related Resources:

• BHWA:
  • COVID & Aging Adults: 2022 Updates
  • COVID Vaccination for Aging Adults: What to Know & Do
• To track COVID data:
  • NY Times COVID Tracker
  • Wastewater:
    • CDC Wastewater Surveillance
    • Biobot.io wastewater tracker
  • Walgreens Test Positivity Tracker
  • OurWorldInData.org Coronavirus Data Explorer
  • CDC Nursing Home Covid-19 Data Dashboard
  • CDC Variant Proportion Tracker
  • CDC COVID cases and deaths by vaccine status
• CDC Datasets in this update:
  • Effectiveness of Bivalent mRNA Vaccines in Preventing Symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Infection Increasing Community Access to Testing Program, United States, September November 2022
  • Weekly U.S. Influenza Surveillance Report
  • CDC Influenza Hospitalization Rates
• From medical journals and research groups:
  • Low neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2.75.2, BQ.1.1, and XBB.1 by parental mRNA vaccine or a BA.5-bivalent booster (12/6/22)
  • Effect of hybrid immunity and bivalent booster vaccination on omicron sublineage neutralisation (12/5/22)
  • Paxlovid Associated with Decreased Hospitalization Rate Among Adults with COVID-19 United States, April September 2022 12/2/22
• From news and other media:
  • Indoor pandemic': An engineer on how to clean the air you breathe
• For masking, ventilation COVID transmission information:
  • Masks Dr. K uses:
    • 3M V-flex N95
    • 3M Aura N95
    • Powecom KN95
  • Project N95
  • Twitter resources
    • @joeyfox85
    • @masknerd
    • @marwa_zaatari
  • CDC Interactive ventilation tool
  • CleanAirCrew.org Portable Air Cleaner Buying Guide
    • Air Cleaners dataset
  • The Corsi-Rosenthal Box: DIY Box Fan Air Filter for COVID-19 and Wildfire Smoke

The post 131 COVID Update for Aging Adults (12.8.22 Edition) appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

Dr. K discusses what aging adults & families should know about the new fall COVID boosters, the latest Omicron variants, and more. Plus who died of COVID this summer and how to know if you’re at high risk of severe COVID.

She covers:

• The current COVID situation & variants in the US
• Newer variants overseas that might evade immunity
• What’s in the new bivalent fall COVID booster
• How the fall booster was developed and tested
• Why there has been debate about the fall COVID booster
• Data review: who died of COVID this past summer?
• The data on the benefit of boosters so far
• Dr. K’s predictions regarding benefits of the fall COVID booster
• When to get your fall COVID booster
• Do you need a booster if you’ve had Omicron?
• Summary of Dr. K’s COVID booster recommendations, including which booster, if you have a choice
• What to know about Paxlovid and what to do if you catch COVID

Related Episodes:

129 COVID Update for Aging Adults (7.21.22 Edition)

Related Resources:

• BHWA:
  • COVID & Aging Adults: 2022 Updates
  • COVID Vaccination for Aging Adults: What to Know & Do
• To track COVID data:
  • NY Times COVID Tracker
  • Wastewater:
    • CDC Wastewater Surveillance
    • Biobot.io wastewater tracker
  • Walgreens Test Positivity Tracker
  • OurWorldInData.org Coronavirus Data Explorer
  • CDC Nursing Home Covid-19 Data Dashboard
  • CDC Variant Proportion Tracker
  • CDC COVID cases and deaths by vaccine status
• Fall COVID booster resources:
  • CDC ACIP Meeting Slides from September 1, 2022
    • For human and mice data on Omicron booster: Moderna slides, Pfizer slides
• CDC Datasets in this update:
  • Rates of COVID-19 Cases or Deaths by Age Group and Vaccination Status
  • Rates of COVID-19 Cases or Deaths by Age Group and Vaccination Status and Second Booster Dose
• From medical journals and research groups:
  • Short term, relative effectiveness of four doses versus three doses of BNT162b2 vaccine in people aged 60 years and older in Israel: retrospective, test negative, case-control study (May 2022)
  • Effectiveness of a fourth dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine against all-cause mortality in long-term care facility residents and in the oldest old: A nationwide, retrospective cohort study in Sweden (July 2022)
  • Association of Receipt of the Fourth BNT162b2 Dose With Omicron Infection and COVID-19 Hospitalizations Among Residents of Long-term Care Facilities (June 2022)
  • Risk of BA.5 Infection among Persons Exposed to Previous SARS-CoV-2 Variants (Sept 2022)
  • Nirmatrelvir Use and Severe Covid-19 Outcomes during the Omicron Surge (Aug 2022)
  • COVID-19 rebound after Paxlovid and Molnupiravir during January-June 2022
• From news and other media:
  • Omicron boosters: Do I need one, and if so, when? (NPR 9/5/22)
  • India and China first to authorize inhaled COVID vaccines (CBS 9/6/22)
• For masking, ventilation COVID transmission information:
  • Masks Dr. K uses:
    • 3M V-flex N95
    • 3M Aura N95
  • Project N95
  • Twitter resources
    • @masknerd
  • CDC Interactive ventilation tool
  • The Corsi-Rosenthal Box: DIY Box Fan Air Filter for COVID-19 and Wildfire Smoke

The post 130 COVID Booster Update for Aging Adults (9.7.22 Edition) appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

Dr. K discusses the high COVID levels, the related risks for aging adults, what to know about Omicron BA.5, the data on boosters, and the most effective ways to take sensible precautions.

She covers:

• The current COVID situation and how high cases really are
• What to know about COVID hospitalization numbers
• Whether COVID vaccines are still working
• The data on first and second boosters
• How the new Novavax COVID vaccine works
• How to test for COVID
• How long to isolate if you get COVID
• What to know about Paxlovid and relapsing after Paxlovid
• What masks she recommends
• How to take reasonable precautions

Note: you can get the CO2 monitor Dr. K refers to on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3yhDtq8. The masks that Dr. K is currently using include 3M V-flex N95, and 3M Aura N95. These are affiliate links, so any purchases will help support Better Health While Aging, at no extra cost to you.

Related Episodes:

128 COVID Update for Aging Adults (5.5.22 Edition)

Related Resources:

• BHWA:
  • COVID & Aging Adults: 2022 Updates
  • COVID Vaccination for Aging Adults: What to Know & Do
• To track COVID data:
  • NY Times COVID Tracker
  • Wastewater:
    • CDC Wastewater Surveillance
    • Biobot.io wastewater tracker
  • Walgreens Test Positivity Tracker
  • OurWorldInData.org Coronavirus Data Explorer
  • CDC Nursing Home Covid-19 Data Dashboard
  • CDC Variant Proportion Tracker
  • CDC COVID cases and deaths by vaccine status
• FDA:
  • Update: COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Composition (6/30/22)
  • Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine, Adjuvanted Emergency Use Authorization Review Memorandum (7/13/22)
  • Paxlovid EUA Fact Sheet for Healthcare Providers
• For masking, ventilation COVID transmission information:
  • Masks Dr. K uses:
    • 3M V-flex N95
    • 3M Aura N95
  • Project N95
  • Twitter resources
    • @kprather88, @linseymarr, @masknerd
  • CDC Interactive ventilation tool
  • The Corsi-Rosenthal Box: DIY Box Fan Air Filter for COVID-19 and Wildfire Smoke
• From medical journals and research groups:
  • Effectiveness of a second BNT162b2 booster vaccine against hospitalization and death from COVID-19 in adults aged over 60 years (Nature, April 2022)
  • Effectiveness of 2, 3, and 4 COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine Doses Among Immunocompetent Adults During Periods when SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.1 and BA.2/BA.2.12.1 Sublineages Predominated VISION Network, 10 States, December 2021 June 2022 (CDC, 7/15/22)
  • Hospitalization and Emergency Department Encounters for COVID-19 After Paxlovid Treatment California, December 2021 May 2022 (CDC 6/21/22)
  • Self-reported long COVID after infection with the Omicron variant in the UK (UK ONS 7/18/22)
  • SARS-CoV-2 transmission on planes, by “Your Local Epidemiologist” Katelyn Jetelina, PhD
  • UK Health Security Agency COVID-19 vaccine weekly surveillance reports
  • COVID-19 Rebound After Paxlovid Treatment (CDC 5/24/22)
  • Newest Omicron subvariants can evade boosters, antibody therapies (UMN CIDRAP, 7/6/22)
    • covers bebtelovimab, the only monoclonal antibody treatment still effective against BA.5
• From news and other media:
  • What you need to know about the Novavax vaccine (Johns Hopkins Univ, 6/16/22)
  • New COVID Vaccine for Fall? What to Know About the FDA’s Plans (CNET 7/15/22)
  • FDA says COVID boosters for the fall must target newer omicron types (NPR 6/30/22)
• Twitter sources that helped with this update:
  • Dr. Eric Topol (good for all kinds of COVID data and info)
    • Graphic for PCR and rapid tests here

The post 129 COVID Update for Aging Adults (7.21.22 Edition) appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

Dr. K discusses the current rise in COVID cases, the related risks for aging adults, what to know about the newest Omicron variants, and the most effective ways to take sensible precautions.

She covers:

• Where we are at with COVID now, and the impact on aging adults
• About the Omicron variants BA.2 and BA.2.12.1
• What's changed (& hasn't) with COVID
• The latest on COVID vaccine efficacy during Omicron
• What to know about first and second boosters
• The latest on how COVID is being transmitted
• What to do for masking to be effective
• Ventilation & checking CO2 levels
• Does rapid testing still work?
• What to know if you catch COVID
• Whether to mask on airplanes & answers to other FAQs
• Her top recommendations for taking reasonable precautions right now

Note: you can get the CO2 monitor Dr. K refers to on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3yhDtq8. This is an affiliate link, so any purchases will help support Better Health While Aging, at no extra cost to you.

Related Episodes:

127 COVID Update for Aging Adults (2.24.22 Edition)

Related Resources:

• BHWA:
  • COVID & Aging Adults: 2022 Updates
  • COVID Vaccination for Aging Adults: What to Know & Do
• To track COVID data:
  • NY Times COVID Tracker
  • OurWorldInData.org Coronavirus Data Explorer
  • CDC Nursing Home Covid-19 Data Dashboard
  • CDC Wastewater Surveillance
  • CDC COVID cases and deaths by vaccine status
•  CDC:
  • COVID variant proportion tracker
• FDA: Paxlovid EUA Fact Sheet for Healthcare Providers
• For masking, ventilation COVID transmission information:
  • CIDRAP: What can masks do? Part 1: The science behind COVID-19 protection
  • Project N95
  • Twitter resources
    • @kprather88, @linseymarr, @masknerd
  • CDC Interactive ventilation tool
  • The Corsi-Rosenthal Box: DIY Box Fan Air Filter for COVID-19 and Wildfire Smoke
• From medical journals and research groups:
  • SARS-CoV-2 transmission on planes, by “Your Local Epidemiologist” Katelyn Jetelina, PhD
  • UK Health Security Agency COVID-19 vaccine weekly surveillance reports
    • Effectiveness of 3 doses of COVID-19 vaccines against symptomatic COVID-19 and hospitalisation in adults aged 65 years and older (UK HSA)
  • Efficacy of a Fourth Dose of Covid-19 mRNA Vaccine against Omicron (NEJM 3/16/22)
  • Protection by a Fourth Dose of BNT162b2 against Omicron in Israel (NEJM 4/5/22)
• From news and other media:
  • Another rare virus puzzle: They got sick, got treated, got covid again (WaPo 4/27/22, about Paxlovid relapses)
  • If you’ve had omicron before, are you safe from infection by the new variants? (NPR 5/4/22)
• Twitter sources that helped with this update:
  • Dr. Eric Topol (good for all kinds of COVID data and info)
    • Graphic for PCR and rapid tests here
  • Dr. Bob Wachter (good for SF data and thinking through risk for 60 year olds)
    • Good thread on whether it’s currently worth trying to avoid COVID here

The post 128 COVID Update for Aging Adults (5.5.22 Edition) appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

 In This Episode:

Dr. K discusses the ebbing of the Omicron surge, what to know about the stealth Omicron BA.2 (it has taken over in Denmark and is growing here), how to live with COVID safely, and more.

She covers:

• Why current COVID numbers are better but still not low enough
• What we've learned about vaccines & boosters during the Omicron surge
• What we can learn from Denmark lifting all COVID restrictions
• How to compare US COVID data to that of other countries, and why our outcomes are worse
• What to know about the Omicron sister variant BA.2
• What it would mean for COVID to be “endemic”
• The ideal approach to living with COVID
• Wastewater & other ways to monitor COVID in your local area
• What older adults can do to keep themselves and their families safer

Note: The CDC released updated guidance re COVID and assessing local COVID-19 community levels on 2/25/22. Dr. K has posted written comments regarding this on her 2022 COVID article: COVID & Aging Adults: 2022 Updates.

Related Episodes:

126 Update: COVID Vaccination in Aging (1.6.22 Edition)

Related Resources:

• BHWA:
  • COVID & Aging Adults: 2022 Updates
  • COVID Vaccination for Aging Adults: What to Know & Do
• To track COVID data:
  • NY Times COVID Tracker
  • OurWorldInData.org Coronavirus Data Explorer
  • CDC Nursing Home Covid-19 Data Dashboard
  • CDC Wastewater Surveillance
  • CDC COVID cases and deaths by vaccine status
•  CDC:
  • COVID variant proportion tracker
• FDA: Paxlovid EUA Fact Sheet for Healthcare Providers
• Twitter threads referenced in update:
  • Kristian Andersen on Danish COVID outcomes since restrictions were lifted
  • Bob Wachter on estimating the COVID risk of attending a party
    • Photo summarizing his math here
• From medical journals and research groups:
  • UK Health Security Agency COVID-19 vaccine weekly surveillance reports
    • Effectiveness of 3 doses of COVID-19 vaccines against symptomatic COVID-19 and hospitalisation in adults aged 65 years and older (UK HSA)
  • Effectiveness of mRNA-1273 against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron and Delta variants
  • Immunogenicity of a BNT162b2 Vaccine Booster Against SARS-CoV-2 Delta and Omicron Variants in Older People
  • 4th Dose COVID mRNA Vaccines' Immunogenicity & Efficacy Against Omicron VOC
  • Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron VOC subvariants BA.1 and BA.2: Evidence from Danish Households
  • Reinfection with different subtypes of Omicron is possible
  • Covid-19: Even mild infections can cause long term heart problems, large study finds
• From news and other media:
  • What does endemic mean? Experts answer your questions about the future of covid. (Washington Post)
  • U.S. Covid Death Toll Surpasses 900,000 as Omicron's Spread Slows
  • More contagious version of omicron spreads in U.S., fueling worries (NPR)
• Twitter sources that helped with this update:
  • Dr. Eric Topol (good for all kinds of COVID data and info)
    • Graphic for PCR and rapid tests here
  • Zeynep Tufecki (smart takes on COVID & more)
  • Dr. Ashish Jha (good for pithy common-sense takes on COVID)

The post 127 COVID Update for Aging Adults (2.24.22 Edition) appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

 In This Episode:

This episode covers the latest on the ongoing Omicron surge, including whether it’s milder in older adults, what’s we’ve learned about rapid testing for Omicron, what to know about the current hospital situation, how to stay safer during the surge, and more.

The episode also addresses these FAQs:

• But isn't Omicron supposedly milder ?
• Do COVID tests (PCR and rapid) work against Omicron?
• Do the COVID vaccines still work , and will they work against Omicron?
• Are the COVID vaccines effective in older adults?
• Why get vaccinated/boosted if you're just going to get COVID anyway?
• What about those new COVID treatments?
• Shouldn't we just let it rip ?
• And if I test positive for COVID?
• Is it safe to .

Related Episodes:

125 Update: COVID Vaccination in Aging (12.16.21 Edition)

Related Resources:

• BHWA:
  • COVID & Aging Adults: 2022 Updates
  • COVID Vaccination for Aging Adults: What to Know & Do
• CDC:
  • COVID 19 Quarantine and Isolation
  • Nursing Home Covid-19 Data Dashboard
• FDA: Paxlovid EUA Fact Sheet for Healthcare Providers
• From medical journals and research groups:
  • Imperial College London Omicron severity report (Dec 22, 2021)
• From news and other media:
  • NY Times COVID Tracker
  • The C.D.C. Is Hoping You'll Figure Covid Out on Your Own (Zeynep Tufecki, Jan 5, 2022)
  • Emerging Data Raise Questions About Antigen Tests and Nasal Swabs (Jan 5, 2022)
  • CDC recommits to isolation and quarantine guidelines without tests (Jan 4, 2022)
  • Pfizer Investor Presentation (covers Paxlovid and more) (Dec 17, 2021)
• Twitter sources that helped with this update:
  • Dr. Eric Topol (good for all kinds of COVID data and info)
    • Graphic for PCR and rapid tests here
  • Dr. Michael Mina (good for understanding COVID tests & more)
  • John Burn-Murdoch (good for COVID data stories, mostly UK but some US)
  • Zeynep Tufecki (smart takes on COVID & more)
  • Dr. Ashish Jha (good for pithy common-sense takes on COVID)

The post 126 Update: COVID Vaccination in Aging (1.6.22 Edition) appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

 In This Episode:

This update covers Omicron, COVID boosters, plus how to search the CDC data to see just how well vaccines have worked, even in older adults. I also show the data demonstrating that vaccinated people age 80+ are still at higher risk of serious COVID than unvaccinated people under age 50; this is why fully vaccinated older adults should take precautions during the current surge!

(View the show notes page to watch my subtitled talk and my slides.)

This episode includes:

• What do we know about Omicron so far, and will the vaccines remain protective
• Should I get vaccinated against COVID?
• Should my 90-year-old mother get the COVID vaccine?
• How well does the vaccine work in older adults? How to use CDC data to see how well it works in different age groups
• Should I worry that the vaccine might harm me (or my frail older parent)?
• Who should get a COVID booster and why?
• How to stay safer during the holidays.

Related Episodes:

123 Update: COVID Vaccination in Aging (10.28.21 Edition)

Related Resources:

• BHWA:
  • COVID Vaccination for Aging Adults: What to Know & Do
• CDC:
  • CDC COVID Data Tracker 
    • County view (to check your local transmission rates)
    • Rates of COVID-19 Cases and Deaths by Vaccination Status
    • Rates of laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 hospitalizations by vaccination status
  • Nursing Home Covid-19 Data Dashboard
  • COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Shots
  • Selected Adverse Events Reported after COVID-19 Vaccination
  • SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.529 (Omicron) Variant United States, December 1 8, 2021 (report on first Omicron cases in US)
  • COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Dose Safety (from 11/19/21 CDC COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force Meeting)
• From medical journals:
  • Preliminary findings from study after Christmas party in Oslo (Norwegian Institute of Public Health)
  • Protection of BNT162b2 Vaccine Booster against Covid-19 in Israel (NEJM Oct 2021)
• From news and other media:
  • Omicron: What We Know About the New Coronavirus Variant (NY Times Dec 2021)
  • As U.S. Nears 800,000 Virus Deaths, 1 of Every 100 Older Americans Has Perished (NY Times 12/13/21)
  • For COVID-19, age matters as much as vaccination status (9/27/21)
  • I’m fully vaccinated and I also had COVID. Do I need a booster? (NPR Nov 2021)
  • COVID-19 preventable mortality and leading cause of death ranking (Kaiser Family Foundation analysis, Dec 2021)

The post 125 Update: COVID Vaccination in Aging (12.16.21 Edition) appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

In This Episode:

Dr. K explains what to do if you’ve become worried about your aging parent, and are trying to figure out if they need help, or are unsure of what to do next. She covers:

• What mental changes are normal as people get older, and what's not normal
• The three types of problems you'll want to check for
• Specific signs to check for, to detect possible memory or thinking problems
• How to tell if your parent needs more help around the house or with their daily life
• The safety red flags I usually check for
• A more respectful and effective way to talk to your aging parent about how things are going
• What to stop doing and what to do instead, to reduce conflicts

Related episode: 

028 When Older Parents Resist Help: 4 Tips for Better Talks

Related Resources:

• When Your Aging Parent Needs Help: A geriatrician’s step-by-step guide to memory loss, resistance, safety worries & more
• 6 Ways that Memory & Thinking Change with Normal Aging (& What to Do About This)
• What are Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) & Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs)?

The post 124 Does Your Aging Parent Need Help?
What to check & how to talk about it appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

 In This Episode:

This video update covers COVID boosters, recent research on the efficacy of COVID vaccination in older adults over the last six months, why we are seeing breakthrough infections, and more. I also cover my recommendations for how aging adults and their families can be safer during the holidays, and using rapid antigen tests.

(View the show notes page to watch my subtitled talk and my slides.)

This episode includes:

• The current COVID situation in US
• What recent research shows, when it comes to how well the vaccines work over time and in older age groups
• What to know about COVID boosters and who should get them
• How to stay safe during the holidays
• What to know about rapid antigen tests
• My latest recommendations for older adult & families

Related Episodes:

122 Update: COVID Vaccination in Aging (9.9.21 Edition)

Related Resources:

• BHWA:
  • COVID Vaccination for Aging Adults: What to Know & Do
• CDC:
  • CDC COVID Data Tracker (to check your local transmission rates)
  • CDC: When You've Been Fully Vaccinated
  • Nursing Home Covid-19 Data Dashboard
  • Rates of COVID-19 Cases and Deaths by Vaccination Status
  • CDC: Comparative Effectiveness of Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) Vaccines in Preventing COVID-19 Hospitalizations Among Adults Without Immunocompromising Conditions United States, March August 2021 (Published Sept 2021)
  • COVID-19 Vaccines for Moderately to Severely Immunocompromised People (CDC)
  • Effectiveness of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna Vaccines in Preventing SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Nursing Home Residents Before and During Widespread Circulation of the SARS-CoV-2 B.1.617.2 (Delta) Variant National Healthcare Safety Network, March 1 August 1, 2021
• From medical journals:
  • Heterologous SARS-CoV-2 Booster Vaccinations Preliminary Report
  • The accuracy of novel antigen rapid diagnostics for SARS-CoV-2: a living systematic review and meta-analysis
  • COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness by Product and Timing in New York State (pre-print posted Oct 9, 2021)
  • Effectiveness of mRNA BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine up to 6 months in a large integrated health system in the USA: a retrospective cohort study (Lancet, Oct 2021, about the Pfizer vaccine)
• From news and other media:
  • For COVID-19, age matters as much as vaccination status (9/27/21)
  • Who Had Covid-19 Vaccine Breakthrough Cases? (10/28/21)
  • C.D.C. Recommends Covid Booster Shots for Millions of Americans (10/21/21)
  • If You've Had Covid, Do You Need the Vaccine? (10/12/21) (about hybrid immunity)
  • NY Times: COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker 
  • NY Times: Coronavirus Variant Tracker

The post 123 Update: COVID Vaccination in Aging (10.28.21 Edition) appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

 In This Episode:

This video update covers my latest thoughts on the Delta surge, what we’ve learned about the efficacy of COVID vaccination in older adults over the last six months, breakthrough COVID cases, and whether “boosters” will be required.

(View the show notes page to watch my subtitled talk and my slides.)

This episode covers:

• The current COVID situation in US
• What we've learned about COVID vaccination over 6 months
• The latest on third doses (aka boosters )
• How to know what's safe & answers to FAQs
• My latest recommendations for older adult & families

Note: A day after I recorded my update, the CDC released three additional studies regarding COVID vaccination. You can read about them here. Basically, one study concluded that vaccinated people are 5x less likely to get COVID, 10x less likely to be hospitalized, and 11x less likely to die of COVID.  Another study found that vaccine efficacy is a bit lower in adults older than 75, compared to younger than 75, and that vaccine efficacy was better with Moderna than Pfizer. And a study in veterans found that “vaccine effectiveness in preventing COVID-19 related hospitalization was 80% among adults aged 65 years compared with 95% among adults aged 18 64 years.”

Related Episodes:

121 Update: COVID Vaccination in Aging (7.29.21 Edition)

Related Resources:

• BHWA:
  • COVID Vaccination for Aging Adults: What to Know & Do
• CDC:
  • CDC COVID Data Tracker (to check your local transmission rates)
  • CDC: When You've Been Fully Vaccinated
  • Nursing Home Covid-19 Data Dashboard
  • COVID-19 Vaccines for Moderately to Severely Immunocompromised People (CDC)
  • Effectiveness of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna Vaccines in Preventing SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Nursing Home Residents Before and During Widespread Circulation of the SARS-CoV-2 B.1.617.2 (Delta) Variant National Healthcare Safety Network, March 1 August 1, 2021
• From medical journals:
  • Comparison of two highly-effective mRNA vaccines for COVID-19 during periods of Alpha and Delta variant prevalence (Mayo Clinic pre-print Aug 2021)
  • Viral loads of Delta-variant SARS-CoV2 breakthrough infections following vaccination and booster with the BNT162b2 vaccine (Pre-print from Israel)
• From news and other media:
  • What to know about booster shots if you received Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine (9/8/21)
  • So you got the J&J vaccine? Here's what you should know about the delta variant, boosters, and more (8/18/21)
  • Highly Vaccinated Israel Is Seeing A Dramatic Surge In New COVID Cases. Here’s Why (NPR 8/20/21)
  • Health Officials Advise White House to Scale Back Booster Plan for Now (NY Times, 9/3/21)
  • NY Times: COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker 
  • NY Times: Coronavirus Variant Tracker

The post 122 Update: COVID Vaccination in Aging (9.9.21 Edition) appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

 In This Episode:

This video update includes my thoughts on the Delta variant and the latest CDC announcement regarding guidance for fully vaccinated adults, what to know about “breakthrough” COVID cases in nursing homes and elsewhere, recent studies on the efficacy of vaccines in older adults (and why some touted study results may not apply to older adults), who might not be well protected by the vaccine, and more.

(View the show notes page to watch my subtitled talk and my slides.)

This episode covers:

• A recap of the current COVID & vaccine situation
• What to know about Delta & the latest CDC mask update
• “Breakthrough” COVID cases
• Updates on COVID safety & efficacy in older adults and the immunocompromised
• Whether boosters will be needed and whether to get one if available
• My latest recommendations for older adults & families

Note: Since I recorded my update, the Washington Post has reported on the CDC's internal presentation covering why they are so concerned about the Delta variant. The data presented is interesting and can be found here.

Related Resources:

• BHWA:
  • COVID Vaccination for Aging Adults: What to Know & Do
• CDC:
  • CDC COVID Data Tracker (to check your local transmission rates)
  • Internal CDC presentation on Delta variant and breakthrough infections (July 29, 2021)
  • CDC: When You've Been Fully Vaccinated
  • Nursing Home Covid-19 Data Dashboard
  • CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (meeting slides on vaccine safety and efficacy topics are usually very informative; browse for the latest ones here)
    • COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness studies (May 12, 2021; includes some nursing home studies)
• From medical journals:
  • Covid-19 Breakthrough Infections in Vaccinated Health Care Workers (July 2021)
  • Effectiveness of Covid-19 Vaccines against the B.1.617.2 (Delta) Variant (July 2021)
• From news and other media:
  • The war has changed': Internal CDC document urges new messaging, warns delta infections likely more severe (July 30, 2021)
  • CDC reversal on indoor masking prompts experts to ask, Where's the data?' (July 2021)
  • Israeli Data Suggests Possible Waning in Effectiveness of Pfizer Vaccine (July 2021)
  • Biden Officials Now Expect Vulnerable Americans to Need Booster Shots (July 2021)
  • Citing New Data, Pfizer Outlines Case for Booster Shots (July 2021)
  • NY Times: COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker 
  • NY Times: Coronavirus Variant Tracker

The post 121 Update: COVID Vaccination in Aging (7.29.21 Edition) appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

Watch the subtitled video and search the transcript by clicking above.
(For a short tutorial on how to search the transcript, see here.)

In This Episode:

Guest host Dr. Nicole Didyk discusses the diagnosis and treatment of depression, including why it's often tricky to diagnose in later life, and how it can be treated. (Note: depression in the context of dementia will be covered in an upcoming episode.) Dr. Didyk is a geriatrician in Canada, and the founder of the blog and YouTube channel The Wrinkle.

She covers:

• What's different about depression in older adults?
• What are the signs that an older person might be depressed?
• What medical illnesses can mimic depression?
• Which medications can cause or worsen depressive symptoms?
• How can depression be treated in older adults?
• What to do if you're concerned about depression in an older person

Related episodes:

053 Interview: Addressing Loneliness in Aging

Related Resources:

• VIDEO: Geriatric Depression is it normal for old people to be sad? with Dr. Didyk
• Depression in Aging: Diagnosis & Treatment When the Golden Years are Blue
• Older Adults and Depression National Institute of Mental Health
• Depression in Older Adults HelpGuide.org
• Depression | Aging & Health A-Z | American Geriatrics Society | HealthInAging.org

Suicide Prevention Helplines (available 24/7):

• IOA Friendship Line (developed for older adults): 800-971-0016
• United States 1-800-273-TALK
• Canada 1-833-456-4566

The post 120 Depression in Aging: Diagnosis & Treatment appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

In This Episode:

Dr. K provides commentary on the recent COVID developments, including the CDC's latest mask guidance for vaccinated people, plus updated information on the effectiveness and safety of COVID vaccination for older adults. She also addresses FAQs about coronavirus vaccination.

This episode covers:

• Why Dr. K has some concerns about the recent CDC mask update
• What to know about breakthrough COVID cases, which have affected nursing homes and are being undercounted
• The question of whether vaccinated people can transmit COVID
• Recent studies related to  COVID safety & efficacy in older adults
• Why immunocompromised people might not be protected by the vaccine, especially if they have a blood cancer or are on medications that affect their B cells or T cells
• How to think about COVID risk: yours and you exposing others to COVID risk
• Answers to FAQs, including:
  • Should I get vaccinated against COVID?
  • Should my 90 year old mother get the COVID vaccine?
  • How well does the vaccine work in older adults?
  • Which vaccine is best for older adults? Which vaccine is safest?
  • Should I worry that the vaccine might harm me (or my frail older parent)?
  • Should I worry that I haven't responded enough to the vaccine?
• Dr. K's current recommendations regarding COVID vaccination and staying safe given current conditions

Related Resources:

• BHWA:
  • COVID Vaccination for Aging Adults: What to Know & Do
• CDC:
  • Fully Vaccinated Adults 65 and Older Are 94% Less Likely to Be Hospitalized with COVID-19
  • COVID-19 Vaccinations in the United States
  • Interim Public Health Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People
  • Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19 Vaccination
  • Nursing Home Covid-19 Data Dashboard
  • CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (meeting slides on vaccine safety and efficacy topics are usually very informative; browse for the latest ones here)
    • COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness studies (May 12, 2021; includes some nursing home studies)
• From medical journals:
  • Impact and effectiveness of mRNA BNT162b2 vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 infections and COVID-19 cases, hospitalisations, and deaths following a nationwide vaccination campaign in Israel: an observational study using national surveillance data (Pfizer vaccine in Israel, May 2021)
  • Researchers Tie Severe Immunosuppression to Chronic COVID-19 and Virus Variants (May 2021)
• New York Times:
  • COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker
  • Coronavirus Variant Tracker
  • What Does the New Mask Guidance Really Mean? (NY Times 5/13/21)
• Other articles:
  • How Vaccine Hesitancy Is Driving Breakthrough Infections in Nursing Homes
  • The CDC's Big Mask Surprise Came Out of Nowhere

The post 119 Update: COVID Vaccination in Aging (5.14.21 Edition) appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

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

Related Resources:

• BHWA: COVID Vaccination for Aging Adults: What to Know & Do
• FDA (Food & Drug Administration):
  • COVID-19 Vaccines
  • Johnson & Johnson FDA Briefing Data
• CDC:
  • Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19 Vaccination
  • First Month of COVID-19 Vaccine Safety Monitoring United States, December 14, 2020 January 13, 2021
  • Provisional COVID-19 Death Counts by Sex, Age, and State
  • COVID-19 Case Surveillance Public Use Data
  • Nursing Home Covid-19 Data Dashboard
  • Suspected Recurrent SARS-CoV-2 Infections Among Residents of a Skilled Nursing Facility During a Second COVID-19 Outbreak
  • Risk for COVID-19 Infection, Hospitalization, and Death By Age Group
  • CDC: When You've Been Fully Vaccinated
• New England Journal of Medicine:
  • Safety and Efficacy of the BNT162b2 mRNA Covid-19 Vaccine (Pfizer vaccine)
  • BNT162b2 mRNA Covid-19 Vaccine in a Nationwide Mass Vaccination Setting (Pfizer vaccine in Israel)
  • Efficacy and Safety of the mRNA-1273 SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine (Moderna vaccine)
• New York Times:
  • COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker
  • Coronavirus Variant Tracker
• Uptodate.com COVID-19 Resources & Tools (Coronavirus Resources)
  • Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): Vaccines to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection

The post 118 Updates: COVID Vaccination in Aging (3.26.21 Edition) appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

Watch the subtitled video and search the transcript by clicking above.
(For a short tutorial on how to search the transcript, see here.)

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

Related episodes:

092- Interview: Addressing Nighttime Urination & Insomnia in Aging

040 Dehydration in Older Adults: How to Prevent It, Detect It, & Treat It

113 Interview: Urinary Incontinence in Aging

Related Resources:

• Leg Swelling in Aging: What to Know and What to Do
• What Is Edema? – Causes and Treatment | familydoctor.org
• Treatment of Edema – American Family Physician (aafp.org)
• Chronic Venous Insufficiency | Society for Vascular Surgery
• What is Chronic Venous Disease? | American Venous Forum (veinforum.org)
• VIDEO: EDEMA What causes swollen legs

The post 117 Leg Swelling in Aging: What to Know & Do appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

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

Related episode:

028 When Older Parents Resist Help: 4 Tips for Better Talks

Related Resources:

• More information on the book: When Your Aging Parent Needs Help
• 9 Types of Issues to Address When Helping Older Parents

The post 116 – Interview: Dr. K's New Book: When Your Aging Parent Needs Help appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

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

Related Resources:

• BHWA: COVID Vaccination for Aging Adults: What to Know & Do
• FDA (Food & Drug Administration):
  • COVID-19 Vaccines
  • FDA: Emergency Use Authorization for Vaccines Explained
• CDC:
  • How CDC Is Making COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
  • Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19 Vaccination
  • Provisional COVID-19 Death Counts by Sex, Age, and State
• CDC advisory panel's lone dissenter on why long-term care residents shouldn't receive Covid-19 vaccine first
• New England Journal of Medicine:
  • Safety and Efficacy of the BNT162b2 mRNA Covid-19 Vaccine (12/10/20 publication of the Pfizer vaccine phase 2/3 trial data)
• New York Times:
  • COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker
  • F.D.A. Clears Pfizer Vaccine, and Millions of Doses Will Be Shipped Right Away
• Uptodate.com COVID-19 Resources & Tools (Coronavirus Resources)
  • Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): Vaccines to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection

The post 115 COVID Vaccination in Aging (12.17.20 Edition) appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

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

Related episode: 

108 Live QA: Aging Health in COVID Times

Related news:

• Limiting Indoor Capacity Can Reduce Coronavirus Infections, Study Shows
• Covid in the U.S.: Latest Map and Case Count
• New Medicare coverage for COVID-19 antibody treatment can be really helpful' for nursing homes
• AARP Answers: Nursing Homes and the Coronavirus
• Bamlanivimab for COVID-19 Hard to Pronounce, Even Harder to Give
• A Series of Disappointing Results of Immune-Based Therapies for COVID-19
• Journal Watch
  • COVID-19 Updates
  • Infectious Disease Blog

Resources:

• • Uptodate.com COVID-19 Resources & Tools (Coronavirus Resources)
  • What is a pulse oximeter
  • Center to Advance Palliative Care COVID Response Resources – see info in the symptom management section.
  • TheConversationProject.org:
    • Conversation Guide: Being Prepared in the Time of COVID-19
  • PrepareForYourCare.org 
    • Get their easy advance directives for almost all states here.
    • Get their COVID resources, including their PREPARE for COVID-19 Tip Sheet here.
  • POLST.org
    • Learn how POLST helps frail and seriously ill adults get better care, and find out what is available for your state.
  • Institute on Aging Friendship Line
    • This free service provides trained volunteers to talk to older adults who are lonely or depressed; they are also qualified as a crisis line for anyone contemplating harming themselves

The post 114 Coronavirus Updates & Suggestions (11.18.20 Edition) appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

In This Episode:

Dr. K discusses urinary incontinence in aging with geriatrician Dr. Nicole Didyk, founder of the blog and YouTube channel The Wrinkle. They discuss:

• Why this is such an important health issue to detect and address
• Why aging tends to bring on urinary continence issues
• The four main types of urinary incontinence to know about
• The DIAPPERS mnemonic geriatricians often use to check for common causes of incontinence
• Which medications can cause or worsen incontinence
• How health providers should evaluate and diagnose incontinence
• How to prevent and treat urinary issues
• Timed toileting and other approaches to managing incontinence in Alzheimer’s and other dementias

Related episode: 

092- Interview: Addressing Nighttime Urination & Insomnia in Aging

Related Resources:

• Urinary Incontinence in Aging: What to know when you can't wait to go
• From Dr. Didyk’s site TheWrinkle:
  • Interview with Dr. Adrian Wagg
  • Four Types of Incontinence video 
  • Reversible causes of incontinence
• Canadian Continence Foundation: https://www.canadiancontinence.ca/EN/about-us.php
• Continence Product advisor: https://www.continenceproductadvisor.org/
• International Urogynecological Association leaflets  available in multiple languages: https://www.yourpelvicfloor.org/leaflets/
• National Association for Continence: https://www.nafc.org/
• Bladder diaries:
  • https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Alberta/AlbertaDocuments/bladder-bowel-diary-printable.pdf (asks patient to measure urine output)
  • https://www.yourpelvicfloor.org/media/Bladder_Diary-5.pdf

The post 113 Interview: Urinary Incontinence In Aging appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

In This Episode:

Dr. K explains what all older adults and family caregivers should know about the new flu shots available for older adults this year and recommendations for influenza vaccination during this first COVID fall. This episode covers:

• The basics of influenza and why vaccination is important
• What we know about influenza and COVID-19
• Why older adults are at higher risk of harm from the flu and how the vaccine works
• The two key ways you can protect yourself from the flu
• Why this year is a good time to make sure older adults are uptodate on their one-time pneumococcal vaccination
• What to know about flu shots designed for older adults
• Which influenza vaccine she thinks is best for most older adults
• When to get vaccinated by
• What to do if your older relative is unable or unwilling to get vaccinated

View subtitles and search the transcript for this episode, by clicking below:

Related Resources:

• Flu Shots for Older Adults During COVID Times: What to Know & Do for 2020
• CDC: U.S. Influenza Vaccines for the 2020-21 Season
• CDC: Key Facts About Seasonal Flu Vaccine
• CDC: Vaccine Effectiveness How Well Does the Flu Vaccine Work?
• CDC: Fluzone High-Dose Seasonal Influenza Vaccine
• CDC: FLUAD Flu Vaccine With Adjuvant
• CDC: Pneumococcal Vaccination
• How to boost your immune system (Harvard Health Review)
• To find a place to get your annual influenza vaccination: VaccineFinder.org

The post 112 Flu Shots for Older Adults in COVID Times: What to Know (2020 Update) appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

In This Episode:

Dr. K shares the coronavirus (COVID19) information and recommendations she presented on 7/16/20 to members of the Helping Older Parents Membership.

She covers:

• The coronavirus situation today
• Are we better at preventing COVID?
• Are we better at treating COVID?
• Current COVID treatments available in the hospital
• Dr. K’s take on hospitalization for frail older adults with COVID
• Useful resources and her recommendations for this summer

Related Resources:

• Uptodate.com COVID-19 Resources & Tools (Coronavirus Resources)
• What is a pulse oximeter
• Center to Advance Palliative Care COVID Response Resources – see info in the symptom management section.
• TheConversationProject.org:
  • Conversation Guide: Being Prepared in the Time of COVID-19
• PrepareForYourCare.org 
  • Get their easy advance directives for almost all states here.
  • Get their COVID resources, including their PREPARE for COVID-19 Tip Sheet here.
• POLST.org
  • Learn how POLST helps frail and seriously ill adults get better care, and find out what is available for your state.
• Institute on Aging Friendship Line
  • This free service provides trained volunteers to talk to older adults who are lonely or depressed; they are also qualified as a crisis line for anyone contemplating harming themselves.

The post 111 Coronavirus Updates & Suggestions (7.16.20 Edition) appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

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.

To watch the video version, click here.

This episode covers:

• The coronavirus situation today
• Key points on what Dr. K has learned about COVID so far (and what we’re still trying to figure out)
• Updates on testing & reducing COVID transmission
• If you're wondering Is it safe to ?
• COVID & Older Adults: the tradeoffs we're facing
• Nursing homes and COVID
• Dr. K’s recommendations for this summer

Related episode: 

109 Interview: Nursing Homes & Other Long-Term Care During COVID Times

Related Resources:

News & Updates:

• NY Times:
  • Six Months of Coronavirus: Here's Some of What We've Learned
  • After 6 Months, Important Mysteries About Coronavirus Endure
  • Testing Nursing Home Workers Can Help Stop Coronavirus. But Who Should Pay?
  • 5 Rules to Live By During a Pandemic
  • Coronavirus in the U.S.: Latest Map and Case Count
• Washington Post:
  • Hugo Sosa survived the ICU. But for coronavirus patients like him, that's just the start of recovery.

Resources:

• NEJM: False Negative Tests for SARS-CoV-2 Infection Challenges and Implications
• FDA: COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions
• CDC: Interim Guidelines for COVID-19 Antibody Testing  (includes information on test sensitivity and positive predictive values)
• FDA: Authorized Serology Tests Performance
• AARP: How to Track COVID-19 Nursing Home Cases and Deaths in Your State
• The Conversation Project COVID Advance Planning Guide
• What is a pulse oximeter
• Center to Advance Palliative Care COVID Response Resources – see info in the symptom management section.
• PrepareForYourCare.org 
  • Get their easy advance directives for almost all states here.
  • Get their COVID resources, including their PREPARE for COVID-19 Tip Sheet here.
• POLST.org
  • Learn how POLST helps frail and seriously ill adults get better care, and find out what is available for your state.
• Institute on Aging Friendship Line
  • This free service provides trained volunteers to talk to older adults who are lonely or depressed; they are also qualified as a crisis line for anyone contemplating harming themselves

The post 110 Coronavirus Updates & Suggestions (6.11.20 Edition) appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

In This Episode:

Dr. K talks with Dr. Karl Steinberg, an expert in nursing home care and the President-Elect of the Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. He has been a nursing home and hospice medical director in the San Diego area since 1995, and is currently the chief medical officer for Mariner Health Central, a 20-facility California nursing home management company. They discuss:

• The varied course of COVID illness among nursing home residents
• What older adults and families should know, to address COVID and advance care planning
• Steps that nursing homes are now taking, to reduce COVID risk and manage cases
• What we know about how COVID has affected other forms of long-term care, such as assisted-living
• How we might be able to keep nursing home residents engaged socially and physically, during COVID times
• Whether some facilities may eventually divide residents into those who prioritize isolation and those who are willing to tolerate slightly increased risks in order to benefit from more socialization and activities
• What safer “re-opening” might look like, in nursing homes
• Why it’s essential to get information from your county and state public health department

Related Resources:

• Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine
• CDC: Preparing for COVID-19 in Nursing Homes
• CMS: Medicare Nursing Home Reopening Recommendations for State and Local Officials
• AARP:
  • AARP Answers: Nursing Homes and the Coronavirus
  • Track COVID-19 Nursing Home Cases, Deaths in Your State
• Why the coronavirus has taken so many lives in US nursing homes
• How to Improve and Protect Nursing Homes From Outbreaks

The post 109 Interview: Nursing Homes & Other Long-Term Care During COVID Times appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

In This Episode:

Dr. K and her guest experts Dr. Nicole Didyk and Richard Caro, PhD, answer BHWA reader questions about aging health in COVID times.

To watch the video version, click here.

Questions and issues they addressed during this call included:

• The trade-off between safety and other benefits that older adults value
• How to think through making an activity or situation “safer” rather than ask “is it safe?”
• How to maintain physical and mental wellbeing while confined to the home, or to a locked-down facility
• When it’s likely to be “safe” to resume routine health appointments, including eye and dental visits
• How the pandemic situation might affect recovery from hospital delirium
• What we know so far about the course of COVID in older adults who develop symptoms
• What palliative care at home for COVID might look like
• The challenges that nursing homes are currently facing

Related episodes: 

106 Coronavirus Updates & Suggestions (3.27.20 Edition)

105 Coronavirus Updates & Suggestions (3.20.20 Edition)

068 Interview: Putting Older Adults at the Center of Technology Conversations

Related Resources:

More from our guest experts:

• From Dr. Didyk:
  • Her YouTube video about whether to take an older relative out of a facility during a pandemic
  • The Wrinkle’s YouTube Channel
  • Worksheet and Decision Guide about moving out of a senior residential facility during COVID
• From Richard Caro:
  • Technologies for Sheltering-in-Place, from TechEnhancedLife.com
  • About the Longevity Explorers

Other related links and resources:

• Uptodate.com: Evidence-based Information on COVID-19 (free!)
• GeriPal: COVID in Long-Term Care
• What is a pulse oximeter
• CDC: Use of Cloth Face Coverings to Help Slow the Spread of COVID-19
• Center to Advance Palliative Care COVID Response Resources – see info in the symptom management section.
• PrepareForYourCare.org
  • Get their easy advance directives for almost all states here.
  • Get their COVID resources, including their PREPARE for COVID-19 Tip Sheet here.
• TheConversationProject.org
  • Conversation Guide to be prepared in the time of COVID-19 & other resources
• POLST.org
  • Learn how POLST helps frail and seriously ill adults get better care, and find out what is available for your state.

Services and Products:

• Institute on Aging Friendship Line
  • This free service provides trained volunteers to talk to older adults who are lonely or depressed; they are also qualified as a crisis line for anyone contemplating harming themselves
• TrueLink Financial Debit Card
  • This card was designed to help vulnerable older adults and others reduce the risk of financial exploitation.
• Care.coach (formerly Gerijoy) virtual companion service for older adults
  • This service provides companionship, medication reminders, and more. We have had a Helping Older Parents member give us very positive feedback about it recently.
  • If you would like to be part of our Better Health While Aging group trying this service at a discount, please let us know via email. You will get 20% off the set-up fee (usually $279) and ongoing monthly charge (usually $279/month). (BHWA is forgoing any commission in order to enable a larger discount for our community.)

The post 108 Live QA: Aging Health in COVID Times appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

Click above for subtitles and click the magnifying glass for a searchable transcript.

In This Episode:

Dr. K talks with geriatrician Muriel Gillick MD, Professor at Harvard Medical School, about her latest book, The Caregiver’s Encylopedia: A Compassionate Guide to Caring for Older Adults. They discuss:

• Why it’s so important for family members to be informed and proactive
• Why Dr. Gillick recommends starting by understanding your relative’s overall health state
• How to recognize frailty, and why it’s essential to be aware of it
• Whether frailty can be reversed by exercise, and the pro and cons of pushing an older parent to exercise
• The importance of “goals of care”, and what to do when trade-offs become necessary
• How to ask an older person about what matters most to them
• How to let the doctors know what an older person wants from their healthcare
• How to get older adults — and healthcare professionals — to value the involvement of the family member
• The importance of someone in the family being able to advocate for better care

Related episodes: 

086 Interview: Creating Age-Friendly Health Systems at UCSF

071 Interview: How Estimating Life Expectancy Helps Older Adults Get Better Care

Related Resources:

• To buy Dr. Gillick’s book at a discount, visit this link at Johns Hopkins University Press and use code “HTWN” to save 30%: The Caregiver’s Encylopedia: A Compassionate Guide to Caring for Older Adults.
• Dr. Gillick’s blog: Life in the End Zone
  • April 2020 post on very high COVID mortality rates in critically ill older adults
• Dr. Gillick’s recent article in NY Times: Keeping Older People Safe During the Coronavirus Crisis
• Discussing what matters: PatientPrioritiesCare.org

The post 107 Interview: A Guide to Better Medical Care for Families of Aging Adults appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

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.

To watch the video version, click here.

Related episode: 

105 Coronavirus Updates & Suggestions (3.20.20 Edition)

104 Coronavirus Special: Planning to Help Aging Parents (Plus Q&A)

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

Related Resources:

News & Updates:

• GeriPal: COVID in NYC & on Front Lines

Resources:

• Uptodate.com: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
• What is a pulse oximeter
• Center to Advance Palliative Care COVID Response Resources – see info in the symptom management section.
• PrepareForYourCare.org 
  • Get their easy advance directives for almost all states here.
• POLST.org
  • Learn how POLST helps frail and seriously ill adults get better care, and find out what is available for your state.
• A Model Hospital Policy for Allocating Scarce Critical Care Resources

Services and Products:

• Institute on Aging Friendship Line
  • This free service provides trained volunteers to talk to older adults who are lonely or depressed; they are also qualified as a crisis line for anyone contemplating harming themselves
• Care.coach (formerly Gerijoy) virtual companion service for older adults
  • This service provides companionship, medication reminders, and more. We have had a Helping Older Parents member give us very positive feedback about it recently.
  • If you would like to be part of our Better Health While Aging group trying this service at a discount, please let us know via email. You will get 20% off the set-up fee (usually $279) and ongoing monthly charge (usually $279/month). (BHWA is forgoing any commission in order to enable a larger discount for our community.)

Have you come across any resources or services that are especially helpful to older adults and families during this time? Please share below in the comments, thank you!

The post 106 Coronavirus Updates & Suggestions (3.27.20 Edition) appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

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.

To watch the video version, click here.

Related episode: 

104 Coronavirus Special: Planning to Help Aging Parents (Plus Q&A)

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

Related Resources:

News and Updates:

• Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security Daily COVID-19 Situation Reports
• Younger Adults Make Up Big Portion of Coronavirus Hospitalizations in U.S.
• The Coronavirus Is Here to Stay, So What Happens Next?

Events:

• Free live online webinar on Thursday 3/26/20: Accessing Inner Resilience: Tools and Actions to Work with Challenging Times (from Zencaregiving.org)

Other resources:

• PrepareForYourCare.org 
  • Get their easy advance directives for almost all states here.
• POLST.org
  • Learn how POLST helps frail and seriously ill adults get better care, and find out what is available for your state.

Services and Products:

• Institute on Aging Friendship Line
  • This free service provides trained volunteers to talk to older adults who are lonely or depressed; they are also qualified as a crisis line for anyone contemplating harming themselves
• Care.coach (formerly Gerijoy) virtual companion service for older adults
  • This service provides companionship, medication reminders, and more. We have had a Helping Older Parents member give us very positive feedback about it recently.
  • If you would like to be part of our Better Health While Aging group trying this service at a discount, please let us know via email. You will get 20% off the set-up fee (usually $279) and ongoing monthly charge (usually $279/month). (BHWA is forgoing any commission in order to enable a larger discount for our community.)

Have you come across any resources or services that are especially helpful to older adults and families during this time? Please share below in the comments, thank you!

The post 105 Coronavirus Updates & Suggestions (3.20.20 Edition) appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

In This Episode:

Dr. K shares the coronavirus (COVID19) information and recommendations she presented on 3/12/20 to members of the Helping Older Parents Membership, plus answers to their questions about preparing themselves and protecting their aging parents. She covers:

• What’s most important to know about the coronavirus situation right now
• The current effort to “flatten the curve” and what that might mean in terms of how long precautions are necessary
• Issues that are likely to come for frail older adults
• How to think through care and housing options, and contingency planning
• The importance of reviewing what matters most to your older parent
• Why now is an important time to review advance care planning and preferences regarding critical care
• What to know about POLST and similar advance care planning documents
• Answers to member questions

Related episode: 

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

Related Resources:

•  AARP Coronavirus Town Hall Transcript
• Washington Nursing Home Outbreak (Business Insider)
• CDC: COVID19 info
• Flattening the Coronavirus Curve (NY Times)
• POLST: Resources & Tips on Avoiding Pitfalls

The post 104 Coronavirus Special: Planning to Help Aging Parents (Plus Q&A) appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

In This Episode:

Dr. K talks about sex in later life with geriatrician Dr. Nicole Didyk, founder of the blog and YouTube channel The Wrinkle. They discuss:

• How Dr. Didyk learned more about this important topic by connecting with Nathalie Wilton, a social worker and sex therapist who focuses on older adults
• Why it’s so common for health providers — and older adults — to have low “sexual literacy”, when it comes to aging and sexuality
• How aging often affects sex and sexuality
• Common concerns that patients have brought up in her clinical practice
• What can be done if there is a mismatch in interest between two partners
• The role of solo sex, toys, and activities other than intercourse
• How being a hands-on caregiver to your partner can affect sex
• Special issues that come up when one partner develops a dementia, such as Alzheimer’s
• Tips on how to maintain and improve sexuality in later life

Related Resources:

• Dr. Didyk’s audio interviews (which include transcripts) with Nathalie Wilton on The Wrinkle:
  • Part One Sex in Later Life Interview with Natalie Wilton
  • Part Two Sex and the Caregiver with Natalie Wilton
  • Part Three Sex and the Changing Brain with Natalie Wilton
• Dr. Didyk’s related BHWA Article: How Sex Changes With Aging (& What You Can Do About It)
• Additional resources recommended by Dr. Didyk:
  • Joan Price – author and advocate for ageless sexuality
  • Come As You Are – Sex and Aging blog
  • Safer sex 4 seniors – FAQ sheets and information about safe sex, and sex in general for older adults
  • Sex, Intimacy and Cancer – Canadian Cancer Society, or American Cancer Society

The post 103 Interview: Better Sex in Later Life appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

In This Episode:

Dr. K talks with Kerry Byrne, PhD, a researcher and expert in aging and family caregiving, and the founder of TheLongDistanceGrandparent.com. They discuss the importance of intergenerational connections and of grandparents in particular. They cover:

• Why intergenerational connections are so important to society, and how they reduce ageism
• What we know about the grandparent-grandchild relationship
• How Kerry’s experience living abroad led to her particular interest in “long distance” grandparents
• Why grandparents are especially important, when it comes to countering ageism
• How grandparents can more easily stay connected to grandchildren, especially if they live far away
• Tips on fostering more intergenerational connections, whether that’s with family or others

Related episode: 

100 Interview: Bill Thomas on Ageism, Housing & Changing Aging in 2019

082- Interview: Bill Thomas on Housing & Communities as Engines of Independence in Aging

Related Resources:

• TheLongDistanceGrandparent.com
  • Get Kerry Byrne’s free resource created especially for long-distance grandparents: Ultimate Video Call Cheat Sheet' 

• Blogs for grandparents recommended by Kerry Byrne:
  • GrandyCamp
  • More Than Grand
• AARP’s Grandparent Survey
• To get involved in intergenerational activities:
  •  Generations United Program Database
  • Encore.org Program Database
  • Foster Grandparents 
  • United Nations Online Volunteering Portal
  • Foster Grandparents
• Book: How To Live Forever: The Enduring Power of Connecting The Generations

Episode Transcript: The Importance of Grandparents & Intergenerational Connections

The post 102 Interview: The Importance of Grandparents & Intergenerational Connections appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

In This Episode:

Dr. K talks with Linda Fodrini-Johnson, MA MFT CMC, a past president of the National Association of Geriatric Care Managers (now the Aging Life Care Association) and a featured expert providing guidance in Dr. K's Helping Older Parents Membership Program.

To help families have the best holidays possible, they discuss practical approaches to help families avoid common conflicts that come up during the holidays. They also discuss adapting the holidays for aging parents with dementia. Their talk includes:

• What are geriatric care managers (also now known as aging life care professionals)
• Why adult children should avoid telling their aging parents what they “should” do, and what to do instead
• How to handle common causes of sibling conflict related to aging parents
• How to learn more about what aging parents want for their future
• What you can do if YOU are the older parent and your adult children are concerned
• How to adapt the holidays so they work better for aging parents with dementia
• What to do if an aging parent is showing signs of memory problems but hasn’t been diagnosed

Related episodes:

003 Interview: Helping Reluctant Parents Address Memory Concerns

036 Interview: Minimizing Family Conflicts & Supporting Aging Parents

Related Resources:

• Cognitive Impairment in Aging: 10 Common Causes & 10 Things the Doctor Should Check
• Lotsa Helping Hands
• 100 Questions Grandchildren Can Ask Grandparents
• Esky Wireless Item Tracker

For more help with aging parents from Dr. Kernisan and Linda Fodrini-Johnson:

• Learn more about the Helping Older Parents Membership
• Give the gift of the Helping Older Parents Course or Membership

You can also get a PDF transcript of this episode, as our holiday gift to you: Click here for the Holidays with Aging Parents transcript!

The post 101 Interview: Avoiding Holiday Pitfalls with Aging Parents appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

In This Episode:

Dr. K talks with geriatrician Bill Thomas, MD,  founder of ChangingAging.org. They discuss what he's worked on during the past year, including his work fostering better aging through Minka houses, MAGIC (Multi-Ability, Multi-Generational Inclusive) Communities, and much more. They cover:

• Why ageism is so important
• Why it's better to avoid age (and ability) segregation, when it comes to housing and community services
• The mismatch between the housing we have and the housing we need
• The problem of older adults loving houses that don't love them back
• His own experience this year of turning 60 and of moving to a smaller house
• How cars affect aging and communities, and whether self-driving cars will change things
• Why the Village of Hope community is designed to cultivate social capital
• His recent work in value-based home health care
• Whether aging issues will become part of the election conversation
• Why it's vital to confront our internal ageist narratives and appreciate our aging faces

Related episodes: 

082- Interview: Bill Thomas on Housing & Communities as Engines of Independence in Aging

055 Interview: Bill Thomas on Ageism & Innovations to Improve Aging

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

Related Resources:

• ChangingAging.org
  • Minka MAGIC Homes and Communities
• Harvard report: Housing America's Older Adults 2019
• Minka: Homes and Communities
• Can This Tiny House Solve Senior Housing Shortage?
• Saying No to Pervasive Ageism
• VILLAGE OF HOPE: Plans unveiled for dementia-friendly housing facility
• Bill Thomas: Home Care Providers Need to Get into the Real Estate Game

The post 100 Interview: Bill Thomas on Ageism, Housing & Changing Aging in 2019 appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

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

Related Resources:

• Flu Shots for Older Adults: What to Know & Do for 2019-2020
• CDC: U.S. Influenza Vaccines for the 2019-20 Season
• Adults: Protect Yourself with Pneumococcal Vaccines
• How to boost your immune system (Harvard Health Review)
• 2018-2019 U.S. Flu Season: Preliminary Burden Estimates
• To find a place to get your annual influenza vaccination: VaccineFinder.org

The post 099 Flu Shots for Older Adults: What to Know (2019 Update) appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

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

Related episodes: 

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

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

Related Resources:

• Medicare: The ABCDs to Know & Tips for Open Enrollment
• Medicare.gov
  • Medicare's Plan Finder 
  • MyMedicare
• MedicareInteractive.org
  • Six things to know about Fall Open Enrollment
• MedicareRights.org
  • Differences between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage
• State Health Insurance Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)
• New York Times: “Medicare Shopping Season is Almost Here”

Transcript: Click here.
Note from Dr. K: We don’t have the funds to transcribe most podcast episodes, but we made an exception and decided to transcribe Michelle Allen’s episode because it is such an important topic.  

The post 098 Interview: Medicare Open Enrollment: What to Know & When to Switch appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

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

Related episodes: 

091 Interview: Reducing the Risk of Power of Attorney Abuse

037 Interview: Using Powers of Attorney to Help Older Adults

070 Interview: Addressing & Preventing Financial Exploitation in Aging

038 FAQs On Incompetence & Losing Decision Capacity

Related Resources:

• Gilfix & La Poll, Associates LLP
• California Probate Code on Creation of Powers of Attorney
• National Center on Law & Elder Rights (NCLER) Issue Brief: Drafting Advance Planning Documents to Reduce the Risk of Abuse or Exploitation
• Better Health While Aging: Incompetence & Losing Capacity: Answers to 7 FAQs
• American Psychological Association: Assessment of Capacity in Older Adults
• American Bar Association: American Bar Association Ten Legal Tips for Caregivers
• National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys
• For law firms that include geriatric care coordinators: Life Care Planning Law Firm Association

For more information on the Helping Older Parents Membership Community, where people helping aging parents can regularly get guidance from Dr. K and from geriatric care managers, click here.

The post 097 Interview: Common Elder Law Issues When Helping Aging Parents appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

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

Related episodes:

059 Interview: Long-Term Care Insurance & Financing Late-Life Care Needs

074 Interview: How the Village Model Supports Aging in Place & Community

017- Interview: Paying for Long-Term Care & Other Family Caregiving Challenges

Related Resources:

• HowardGleckman.com
  • It's Official: Washington will be the First State with Public Long-Term Care Insurance
  • What a Medicare Advantage Personal Services Benefit Looks Like
  • How Can You Help Older Adults Age at Home? Ask What They Need, Then Help Them
• Community Living Assistance Services & Supports (CLASS) Act
• The Long-Term Care Poll
• A Consensus Framework for Long-Term Care Financing Reform

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

The post 096 Interview: Paying for Long-Term Care: 2019 Updates appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

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)

Related episode: 

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

Related Resources:

• Professor Wallhagen's Brochure (for people affected by hearing loss):
  • Hearing Helps Us Stay Connected to Others
• UCSF Audiology: The Speech Banana
• Medicare.gov: Hearing & balance exams & hearing aids
• Mayo Clinic: Hearing aids, How to choose the right one
• The Hurdles to Getting Hearing Aids
• Hearing Loss Association of America:
  • Hearing Loss Basics
  • A Guide to Understanding Hearing Loops (includes info on telecoils)
  • Find a Local Chapter
• AARP
  • Congress Approves Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids
  • Hearing Care Program: Captioned Telephone
• Pocketalkers*
• Hearing & Speech Center (San Francisco)
• National Academies: Hearing Health Care for Adults: Priorities for Improving Access and Affordability
• Better Health While Aging:
  • 4 Key Things to Know About Age-Related Hearing Loss
• Professor Wallhagen's Research:
  • Hearing Loss Education for Older Adults in Primary Care Clinics: Benefits of a Concise Educational Brochure
  • The Stigma of Hearing Loss
  • Hearing impairment: significant but underassessed in primary care settings
  • Impact of Self-Assessed Hearing Loss on a Spouse: A Longitudinal Analysis of Couples

   

  Transcript: Click here.
  Note from Dr. K: We don’t have the funds to transcribe most podcast episodes, but we decided to transcribe Professor Wallhagen’s episodes, to make them more accessible to anyone experiencing hearing loss.

*Note: our Pocketalker link is an Amazon affiliate link. We are now participating in the Amazon Associates affiliate program, so if you buy through the link on our site, Better Health While Aging will earn a small commission, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support! 

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

The post 095 Interview: Hearing Aids & Other Hearing Loss Treatment Options appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

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

Related episode: 

095 Interview: Hearing Aids & Other Hearing Loss Treatment Options

Related Resources:

• Professor Wallhagen's Brochure (for people affected by hearing loss):
  • Hearing Helps Us Stay Connected to Others
• UCSF Audiology:The Speech Banana
• Medicare.gov: Hearing & balance exams & hearing aids
• National Academies: Hearing Health Care for Adults: Priorities for Improving Access and Affordability
• Hearing Loss Association of America's: Hearing Loss Basics
• Better Health While Aging:
  • 4 Key Things to Know About Age-Related Hearing Loss
• Professor Wallhagen's Research:
  • Hearing Loss Education for Older Adults in Primary Care Clinics: Benefits of a Concise Educational Brochure
  • The Stigma of Hearing Loss
  • Hearing impairment: significant but underassessed in primary care settings
  • Impact of Self-Assessed Hearing Loss on a Spouse: A Longitudinal Analysis of Couples

Transcript: Click here.
Note from Dr. K: We don’t have the funds to transcribe most podcast episodes, but we decided to transcribe Professor Wallhagen’s episodes, to make them more accessible to anyone experiencing hearing loss.

The post 094 Interview: Hearing Loss in Aging: Why It Matters & Getting Evaluated appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

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

Related episodes: 

059 Interview: Long-Term Care Insurance & Financing Late-Life Care Needs

017 Interview: Paying for Long-Term Care & Other Family Caregiving Challenges

Related Resources:

• Family Caregiver Alliance: Hiring In-Home Help
• About Aging Life Care Professionals
• Medicare and Home Health Services
  • Medicare.gov PDF: Medicare & Home Health Care
• Platforms to find paid in-home care for older adults
  • Carelinx.com
• Information on paying taxes to paid caregivers:
  • Learn more about your tax responsibility as a household employer
  • Do you need to pay taxes for your part-time caregiver?
• To find your local Area Agency on Aging: Eldercare.gov Locator
• For law firms that include geriatric care coordinators: Life Care Planning Law Firm Association

For more information on the Helping Older Parents Membership Community, where people helping aging parents can regularly get guidance from Dr. K and from Michelle Allen:

Learn More About the Helping Older Parents Membership Community!

The post 093 Interview: Hiring In-Home Care for Aging in Place: What to Know appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

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

Related episodes: 

032 5 Top Causes of Sleep Problems in Aging

088 Interview: Avoiding Inappropriate Prescribing in Aging & What to Know About the Beers Criteria

Related Resources:

• • Studies published by Dr. Tyagi
    • Behavioral Treatment of Chronic Insomnia in Older Adults: Does Nocturia Matter?
    • Behavioral Treatment of Insomnia: Also Effective for Nocturia
    • Nocturnal Polyuria in Older Women with Urge Urinary Incontinence: Role of Sleep Quality, Time in Bed, and Medications Used
  • American Urological Association: Urology Care Foundation
    • Educational Materials
    • Bladder Diary
    • Nocturia Treatment & Diagnosis
  • National Sleep Foundation
    • Nocturia & Frequent Urination at Night
  • BHWA
    • How Sleep Affects Health & Changes with Aging
    • 5 Top Causes of Sleep Problems in Aging, & Proven Ways to Treat Insomnia

The post 092- Interview: Addressing Nighttime Urination & Insomnia in Aging appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

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

Related episodes: 

088- Interview: Avoiding Inappropriate Prescribing in Aging & What to Know About the Beers Criteria

073- Anticholinergic Medications & Protecting Brain Health

031- Choosing the Safest Over-the-Counter Painkiller in Aging

046- Interview: Deprescribing & Reducing Risky Medications in Aging

034- Preventing Falls: 10 Types of Medication to Reconsider

Related Resources:

• Better Health While Aging
  • Medications Older Adults Should Avoid or Use with Caution: The American Geriatrics Society Beers Criteria (2019 Update)
  • 4 Types of Brain-Slowing Medication to Avoid if You’re Worried About Memory
  • How to Choose the Safest Over-the-Counter Painkiller for Older Adults
  • Deprescribing: How to be on Less Medication for Healthier Aging
  • Preventing Falls: 10 Types of Medications to Review if You’re Concerned About Falling
  • 5 Step Process to Prepare for a Medication Review
• Healthinaging.org
  • Medications Older Adults Should Avoid or Use With Caution
  • 10 Medications Older Adults Should Avoid Or Use With Caution
  • What to do & What to Ask if a Medication You Take is Listed in the AGS Beers Criteria List
• Canadian Deprescribing Network
• The EMPOWER Brochures (from the Canadian Deprescribing Network):
  • Anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen (Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs)
  • Antipsychotic medication as sleeping pills or for Dementia
  • Medications for allergies and itchiness (First-generation antihistamines)
  • Medication for type-2 diabetes (Sulfonylurea diabetes medication)
  • Sleeping pills & anti-anxiety medication (Sedative-hypnotic medication, such as Ativan, Ambien, and others)
  • Stomach pills for acid reflux (Proton-pump inhibitors)
• Daily Aspirin Therapy: Understand the Benefits & Risks

The post 090 More on Avoiding Risky Medications & on Using the 2019 AGS Beers Criteria appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

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

Related Resources:

• National Healthcare Decisions Day Website
• PrepareForYourCare.org
  • Easy-to-Read Advance Directives (available for almost every state!)
• The Conversation Project
  • List of Starter Kits (available in multiple languages and also for Alzheimer’s and related dementias)
• Advance Directive for Dementia (from Barak Gaster, MD)
• 5 Questions to Ask Yourself on National Healthcare Decisions Day
• Other BHWA articles on advance care planning and end-of-life

The post 089 Giving Yourself (And Your Family) a Gift on National Healthcare Decisions Day appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

In This Episode:

Dr. K talks with geriatrician Dr. Michael Steinman, Professor of Medicine at UCSF and an expert on medication safety in older adults. He recently served on the expert panel that authored the American Geriatrics Society 2019 Updated AGS Beers Criteria® for Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use in Older Adults, which lists medications that older adults should avoid or use with caution. They discuss:

• What is inappropriate prescribing and why it affects an estimated 50% of older adults
• How ageism can affect medication prescribing
• How inertia, hospitalizations, and other factors lead to medications accumulating
• Why it's not safe to assume that all your medications are being prescribed for a good reason
• How to be proactive about asking your health providers to review whether all medications are still necessary and appropriate
• What is the Beer's Criteria list and how does the Expert Panel decide what should be on it
• Why older adults become more vulnerable to medications as they age
• Some key Beers Criteria medications older adults should know about
• What you can do if you're taking a medication on the Beer's Criteria list
• How pharmacists can help, and other tips on ensuring safer medication use in aging

Related episodes: 

046 Interview: Deprescribing & Reducing Risky Medications in Aging

073 Anticholinergic Medications & Protecting Brain Health

034 Preventing Falls: 10 Types of Medication to Reconsider

Related Resources:

(Note: To date, HealthinAging.org and the American Geriatrics Society have not made the full 2019 Beers Criteria available for free to the public. For a full list, an option is to purchase the pocketcard, which we link to below.)

• From HealthinAging.org:
  • Medications Older Adults Should Avoid or Use With Caution
  • Ten Medications Older Adults Should Avoid Or Use With Caution
  • What to do & What to Ask if a Medication You Take is Listed in the AGS Beers Criteria List
• About the 2019 Beers Criteria Update:
  • American Geriatrics Society 2019 Updated AGS Beers Criteria® for Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use in Older Adults
  • 2019 AGS Beers Criteria Pocketcard (costs $8-$10, lists all medications)
  • Using Wisely: A Reminder on the Proper Use of the American Geriatrics Society Beers Criteria
• Other Related Articles by Michael Steinman:
  • What is this drug for? Prescriptions without indications
  • Beyond the Prescription: Medication Monitoring & Adverse Drug Events in Older Adults
• How to Taper Benzodiazepines (Helpful consumer handout with sample tapering schedule)
• Related Better Health While Aging Articles:
  • Medications Older Adults Should Avoid or Use with Caution: The American Geriatrics Society Beers Criteria (2019 Update)
  • Deprescribing: How to Be on Less Medication for Healthier Aging
  • 7 Common Brain-Toxic Drugs Older Adults Should Use With Caution
  • 4 Types of Brain-Slowing Medication to Avoid if You’re Worried About Memory
  • How to Review Medications for Safety & Appropriateness

The post 088 Interview: Avoiding Inappropriate Prescribing in Aging & What to Know About the Beers Criteria appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

In This Episode:

Dr. K talks with family caregiving expert Barbara Kane, LCSW, co-author of “Coping With Your Difficult Older Parent: A Guide for Stressed-Out Children.” She is a co-founder of Aging Network Services, which provides geriatric care management and psychotherapy services. They discuss:

• What it means to be a difficult older person, and why most such older parents have been difficult their entire lives
• Categories of difficult behavior, including dependent, turnoff , self-centered, controlling, self-destructive, and fearful behaviors
• How Aging Network Services helps adult children examine and improve their own interactions with their aging parents
• Why age-related challenges are especially hard on difficult people
• Why adult children must often learn to tolerate an older parent's unhappiness
• How it can help to stop arguing, stop trying to fix, and stop trying to please
• Tips on boundaries and setting limits with an older parent
• How bringing in a geriatric care manager can help an aging parent accept needed help
• Strategies for better communication with siblings when discussing plans for aging parents

Related episodes: 

069- Evaluating Memory & Thinking Problems: 10 Causes & 10 Things to Check

028- When Older Parents Resist Help: 4 Tips for Better Talks

Related Resources:

• Coping With Your Difficult Parent: A Guide for Stressed-Out Children
• Aging Network Services
• Aging Life Care Association: What You Need To Know
• Related articles on Better Health While Aging:
  • 6 Ways that Memory & Thinking Change with Normal Aging (& What to Do About This)
  • Cognitive Impairment in Aging: 10 Common Causes & 10 Things the Doctor Should Check

The post 087- Interview: Coping with Difficult Older Parents appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

In This Episode:

Dr. K talks with Dr. Stephanie Rogers, MD MPH, about creating Age-Friendly Health Systems at UCSF, and the specific programs they've developed to make hospitalization safer and better for older adults. They discuss:

• What are Age-Friendly Health Systems, and why do older adults need them?
• Why Age-Friendly Health Systems emphasize the 4 Ms : mobility, mentation, medications, and what matters
• How an Age-Friendly Health System differs from usual healthcare
• Why hospitalization is often so risky for older people
• What are Acute Care for Elders (ACE) units and how they help prevent problems such as falls, delirium, and loss of independence
• How UCSF's Hip Fracture Co-Management Service provides better care and improves recovery
• UCSF's Delirium Reduction Campaign, which uses a tool called AWOL to check every hospitalized patient for delirium
• How delirium can be prevented, and what UCSF recommends that families do
• How UCSF uses Patient and Family Advisory Councils to improve care
• How to find an Age-Friendly Health System near you

Related episodes: 

039 Interview: Creating Age-Friendly Health Systems

062 Interview: Preventing Hospital Delirium & Maintaining Brain Health

Related Resources:

• About Age-Friendly Health Systems:
  • Creating Age-Friendly Health Systems A vision for better care of older adults
  • Institute for Healthcare Improvement Initiatives: Age-Friendly Health Systems
• UCSF Geriatric Inpatient Services:
  • Welcome to UCSF's Acute Care for Elders Unit
  • UCSF Hip Fracture Protocol
  • UCSF Delirium Reduction Campaign (includes information on how families can help!)
• About UCSF's AWOL Delirium Screening Tool
• Related articles on Better Health While Aging:
  • Hospital Delirium: What to know & do
  • 10 Things to Know About Delirium

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The post 086 – Interview: Creating Age-Friendly Health Systems at UCSF appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

In This Episode:

Dr. K explains four “panels” of blood tests ordered for older adults, and what to keep in mind when blood tests are ordered.  She covers:

• What is a complete blood cell count (CBC) 
• What is a basic metabolic panel (also known as a basic electrolyte panel) and what is a comprehensive metabolic panel
• What is a lipid panel
• Common reasons that health providers order these panels, and what they can tell us about an older person’s health
• Medications that often affect electrolytes
• Why it’s important to request copies of your laboratory results 
• Key questions to ask, when lab tests are ordered or when you review abnormal results with your health provider

Related episodes: 

007 How a Personal Health Record Helps You Be Proactive

023 Anemia in Aging: 10 Common Causes & What to Ask

031- Choosing the Safest Over-the-Counter Painkillers in Aging

Related Resources:

• Understanding Laboratory Tests: 10 Commonly Used Blood Tests for Older Adults
• 10 Useful Types of Medical Information to Bring to a New Doctor
• How to Use a Personal Health Record to Improve an Older Person’s Healthcare
• Anemia in the Older Adult: 10 Common Causes & What to Ask
• 26 Recommended Preventive Health Services for Older Adults
• NIH Guide to Lowering Cholesterol With Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes

The post 085 Understanding Lab Tests:
4 Common Blood Tests for Older Adults appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

In This Episode:

Dr. K talks with neurologist Fanny Elahi, MD PhD, about cerebral small vessel disease and other issues related to white matter changes in the brain. Dr. Elahi sees patients and conducts research at UCSF’s Memory and Aging Center, and is an Assistant Professor of Neurology at UCSF. They discuss:

• What is the white matter in the brain, and why it often changes or is damaged with aging
• The relationship between white matter changes and cerebral small vessel disease
• How white matter changes can be thought of as a form of “scarring” in brain
• Why these brain changes can affect memory, thinking, and/or falls
• What we know about the prevention and treatment of these changes
• How white matter changes relate to vascular dementia, Alzheimer’s and other causes of dementia
• How the UCSF Memory and Aging Center evaluates white matter changes
• What is vascular parkinsonism
• What to consider for younger people with white matter changes on MRI
• Her recommendations on maintaining the brain and its blood vessels
• Ongoing research projects at UCSF and elsewhere that listeners may be able to participate in

Related episodes:

078 Interview: The Biology of Aging & Longevity

072 Cognitive Aging: How Memory & Thinking Change as One Gets Older

048 How Cerebral Small Vessel Disease Affects Most Aging Brains

Related Resources:

• Cerebral Small Vessel Disease: What to Know & What to Do
• Research Opportunities at the UCSF Memory & Aging Center
• Developing biomarkers for small vessel brain disease: the Mark VCID consortium

The post 084 Interview: Understanding White Matter Changes in the Aging Brain appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

In This Episode:

Dr. K talks with Kavan Peterson, editor and co-founder (with Dr. Bill Thomas) of ChangingAging.org. He is also the Chief Operation Officer for the Minka House Project. They discuss:

• How Kavan met Bill Thomas and why they founded ChangingAging.org
• How approaches to aging have improved over the past decade
• Why the ChangingAging Tour emphasizes listening sessions, and the top two concerns they hear about
• Why multi-generational interaction is so important
• Why ChangingAging decided to focus on disrupting dementia
• The Village of Hope project and the creation of dementia-friendly communities
• How technological innovations can help care for aging adults
• What’s next for ChangingAging, Minka and MAGIC in 2019
• How and why you should get involved in creating age-friendly communities

Related episodes: 

082- Interview: Bill Thomas on Housing & Communities as Engines of Independence in Aging

074 Interview: How the Village Model Supports Aging in Place & Community

055 Interview: Bill Thomas on Ageism & Innovations to Improve Aging

Related Resources:

• ChangingAging.org
  • The Green House Project
  • Changing Aging Tour
  • Disrupt Dementia
  • Minka MAGIC Homes and Communities
  • It Takes a Village to Disrupt Aging
  • Seattle's All-inclusive Dementia-Friendly Momentia' Movement Grows
• VILLAGE OF HOPE: Plans unveiled for dementia-friendly housing facility
• What is a Pocket Neighborhood?
• Harvest Home Care
• Area Agencies on Aging
• Dementia Friends

The post 083 Interview: Disrupting Dementia and Creating Dementia-Friendly Communities appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

In This Episode:

Dr. K talks with geriatrician Bill Thomas, MD,  founder of ChangingAging.org. They discuss his recent efforts to escape from the gerosphere and focus on aging as late-life development, by changing our stories about aging and fostering better housing and communities. They cover:

• What are the general misconceptions and assumptions of aging
• Changing the narrative from aging problems to later life development
• Why housing and communities are engines of independence and are essential to better aging
• Why we should focus on creating MAGIC: Multi-Ability, multi-Generational, Inclusive Communities
• What to say to older adults who want to live in homes that aren't serving them well
• Why you should consider whether your home is future-proofed
• What is a Minka house
• Changing Aging's current projects innovating with Minka and MAGIC
• How and why we should address ableism and ageism, including within ourselves
• Co-housing and other options for older adults interested in better places to live and grow older

Related episodes: 

055 Interview: Bill Thomas on Ageism & Innovations to Improve Aging

074 Interview: How the Village Model Supports Aging in Place & Community

035 Interview: Aging in the Right Place

Related Resources:

• Minka homes
  • MyMinka.com
  • NPR Interview with Bill Thomas on Minka
  • Minka at University of Southern Indiana
  • Can This Tiny House Solve Senior Housing Shortage?
• ChangingAging.org
  • Minka MAGIC Homes and Communities
  • Independence Rising
  • Changing Aging Tour
• Saying No to Pervasive Ageism
• VILLAGE OF HOPE: Plans unveiled for dementia-friendly housing facility

The post 082- Interview: Bill Thomas on Housing & Communities as Engines of Independence in Aging appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

In This Episode:

Dr. K talks with family caregiving expert Carol Levine, Director of the Families and Health Care Project at the United Hospital Fund of New York about her new book, Navigating Your Later Years for Dummies.   They discuss:

• How to be proactive about your current and future age-related needs
• Why it’s vital to start by taking a personal inventory of your preferences and resources
• How your financial situation affects your housing and care options in later life
• Why it’s especially helpful to discuss your finances and your living will with family
• Pros and cons of aging in your own long-time home
• Why it’s important to know that Medicare doesn’t cover most long-term care services
• Planning tips for those aging alone or without family support
• The value of aging within a community and maintaining a support network
• How Carol has talked with her own children & planned for her own aging
• How to avoid getting overwhelmed by the process

Related episodes: 

060-Interview: Negotiating Family Caregiving Expectations After Hospitalization

015- Interview: Practical Advice for Family Caregivers & Next Step In Care

017- Interview: Paying for Long-Term Care & Other Family Caregiving Challenges

036 Interview: Minimizing Family Conflicts & Supporting Aging Parents

Related Resources:

• Books by Carol Levine:
  • Navigating Your Later Years for Dummies
  • Planning For Long-Term Care For Dummies
• Other recommended AARP resources
  • AARP Checklist for Family Caregivers
• CDC Home Safety Checklist
• United Hospital Fund- Next Step in Care
• Medicare Rights Center
• Find Your Public Library

The post 081 Interview: How to Plan Ahead for Your Later Years appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

In This Episode:

Dr. K talks with Richard Caro, PhD, a co-founder of Tech-Enhanced Life, who recently spent a few weeks carefully testing and reviewing four types of smartwatches that can serve as medical alert devices in the event of a fall or other personal health emergency. They discuss:

• The Tech-Enhanced Life approach to evaluating innovations and newer technologies
• The problem with existing medical alert devices
• What key things to consider, when choosing a personal emergency response system (PERS) device and service
• Why Richard and Dr. K recommend automatic fall-detection in a medical alert device
• Which four smartwatch devices Richard selected for further testing
• The difference between the Apple Watch 3 and 4, when it comes to using them as a medical alert
• Why most medical alert services charge a monthly fee
• How these newer smartwatch devices compare to more traditional PERS devices
• The benefits of being able to “practice” summoning help
• Richard’s preferred combo of medical alert features that no smartwatch offers (yet)
• What to keep in mind if considering a medical alert for someone with dementia

Related episodes: 

068 Interview: Putting Older Adults at the Center of Technology Conversations

010 Interview: Choosing a Wearable Medical Alert System for Older Adults

Related Resources:

• From Tech-Enhanced Life:
  • Smartwatches as Medical Alerts (this is Richard’s in-depth report; highly recommended by Dr. K!)
  • Medical Alert Systems Guide & Selection Tool
  • About the Longevity Explorers

The post 080 Interview: Smartwatches as Medical Alert Devices
(What to Know & How to Choose) appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

In This Episode:

Dr. K addresses an older parent’s concerns and frustrations regarding her son’s attempts to help her with her health, and their differing views on what she needs. She covers:

• What to do if you’re an older parent frustrated by your adult child’s concerns for you
• How to communicate better and help your family understand what matters most to you
• Why it’s essential to address goals, priorities, and advance planning
• Why everyone needs to think about acceptance and boundaries
• The importance of fostering a stronger relationship and more connectedness
• Why older adults should be very careful about entirely cutting off their adult children
• How to negotiate a better way forward, and how to get help doing so

Related episodes: 

028 When Older Parents Resist Help: 4 Tips for Better Talks

077 Interview: Making Advance Care Planning Easier Through PREPARE

036 Interview: Minimizing Family Conflicts & Supporting Aging Parents

013 Interview: Solving Hard Problems in Helping Aging Parents

Related Resources:

• A frustrated older parent’s comment as posted on BHWA
• Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most
• 4 Things to Do When Your Parents Are Resisting Help
• What to know about aging life care professionals

The post 079 QA: Advice for Older Parents Frustrated by Their Family’s Concerns appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

In This Episode:

Dr. K talks with geriatrician and geroscientist John Newman, MD PhD,  about the biology of aging and his research on ketogenic diets and geriatric syndromes. Dr. Newman is an assistant professor at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging and in the Division of Geriatrics at UCSF. He also works on improving the hospital care of older adults. They discuss:

• How aging biology research helps us understand fundamental aging processes that affect all animals
• The complex relationship between aging and disease, and what is the geroscience hypothesis
• Cellular hallmarks of aging, and biomarkers to assess physiological age
• How we can assess someone’s physiological age
• Why biomarkers of aging aren’t as useful as functional assessments of older people
• How insulin, fasting, and other aspects of metabolism are related to aging
• What Dr. Newman has learned from studying ketones and aging in mice
• What is known about ketogenic diets in humans
• What’s been shown to improve healthspan and lifespan (in mice)
• Why metformin, a diabetes drug, is a “really good drug”
• Why things that slow aging in the lab may not work in humans or under real-world conditions

Related episode: 

071 Interview: How Estimating Life Expectancy Helps Older Adults Get Better Care

Related Resources:

• The Newman Lab at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging
• John Newman’s related research:
  • Ketogenic diet reduces mid-life mortality and improves memory in aging mice
  • Strategies and Challenges in Clinical Trials Targeting Human Aging
• Skipped meals could improve memory, says Buck Institute for Research on Aging researcher

The post 078 Interview: The Biology of Aging & Longevity appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

In This Episode:

Dr. K talks with geriatrician Rebecca Sudore, MD, an expert in helping older adults address advance directives, end-of-life planning, and other aspects of advance care planning. Dr. Sudore is the creator of PREPARE, an easy-to-use online program designed to help older adults talk about what matters most with family members and health professionals. She is also a Professor in the UCSF Division of Geriatrics. They discuss:

• Why Dr. Sudore created California’s first easy-to-read advance directive form in 2005
• What families in focus groups told her, about making decisions for someone else
• Why it’s important to address more than legal forms and end-of-life situations
• Why older adults need to discuss what matters to them, with family and with their health providers
• How PREPARE uses short videos and worksheets to help older adults think through what matters, and share their values with others
• Her research proving that PREPARE does help older adults address planning
• Why many older adults don’t address advance planning, and how we might change this
• Advance care planning for Alzheimer’s and other dementias
• Tips on getting reluctant older parents to talk about their wishes and address their planning
• How to find an easy-to-use advance directive for all 50 states on the PREPARE website

Related episodes: 

071 Interview: How Estimating Life Expectancy Helps Older Adults Get Better Care

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

Related Resources:

• PrepareForYourCare.org
  • The online PREPARE program with videos
  • The PREPARE question guide in PDF workbook format
  • Easy-to-Read Advance Directives (by state)
  • PREPARE movie
• The Conversation Project: Starter Kits (PDF workbooks)
• Advance care planning resources for Alzheimer’s and other dementias:
  • Conversation Starter Kit for families of people with Alzheimer's and dementia
  • Advance Directive for Dementia
  • One Day Your Mind May Fade. At Least You'll Have a Plan. (New York Times)
• Rebecca Sudore's related research:
  • Engaging Diverse English- and Spanish-Speaking Older Adults in Advance Care Planning: The PREPARE Randomized Clinical Trial
  • Effect of the PREPARE Website vs an Easy-to-Read Advance Directive on Advance Care Planning Documentation and Engagement Among Veterans A Randomized Clinical Trial
  • Outcomes that Define Successful Advance Care Planning: A Delphi Panel Consensus
  • Improving a Full Range of Advance Care Planning Behavior Change and Action Domains: The PREPARE Randomized Trial
• BHWA: Articles on Advance Care Planning and End-of-Life

The post 077 Interview: Making Advance Care Planning Easier Through PREPARE appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

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
• What to know about the intranasal flu vaccine available for people age 2-49

Related Resources:

• Flu Shots for Older Adults: What to Know & Do for 2018-2019
• CDC: U.S. Influenza Vaccine Products for the 2018-19 Season
• Adults: Protect Yourself with Pneumococcal Vaccines
• How to boost your immune system (Harvard Health Review)
• American Academy of Pediatrics Advises Parents to Choose the Flu Shot For 2018-2019 Flu Season
• Flu broke records for deaths, illnesses in 2017-2018, new CDC numbers show
• To find a place to get your annual influenza vaccination: VaccineFinder.org

The post 076 Flu Shots for Older Adults: What to Know (2018 Update) appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

In This Episode:

Dr. K reviews her four most used fall prevention approaches, which are routine in geriatrics care but are often overlooked by busy primary care providers. She covers:

• The three questions about falls that PCPs should be asking older adults
• How the CDC’s STEADI fall prevention algorithm can help you understand what your health provider should be doing
• Why medication review is an essential part of fall prevention
• The importance of checking blood pressure sitting and standing
• How a physical therapy evaluation can help
• The recent research suggesting Tai Chi helps prevent falls
• How to get a good home safety assessment done
• Why Vitamin D is no longer recommended for fall prevention (but is still worth taking)

Related episodes: 

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

034 Preventing Falls: 10 Types of Medication to Reconsider

004 What to Do If You're Worried About Falls

005 Interview: Otago & Proven Exercises for Fall Prevention

011 Vitamin D: The Healthy Aging Dose & FAQs

Related Resources:

• CDC Steadi:
  • Algorithm for Fall Risk Assessment & Interventions
  • Medications Linked to Falls
  • Risk Factors for Falls
  • Measuring Orthostatic Blood Pressure
  • Check for Safety: A Home Fall Prevention Checklist for Older Adults
• How to Prevent Falls: 4 Proven Approaches To Ask Your Doctor About
• 10 Types of Medications to Review if You're Concerned About Falling
• Videos Illustrating Otago Exercises for Fall Prevention (includes CDC-recommended assessment exercises)
• Effectiveness of a Therapeutic Tai Ji Quan Intervention vs a Multimodal Exercise Intervention to Prevent Falls Among Older Adults at High Risk of Falling: A Randomized Clinical Trial
• Occupational Therapy Geriatric Group at the University at Buffalo  free home safety workbook:
  • Home Safety Self-Assessment Tool (HSSAT)
• Vitamin D: the Healthy Aging Dose (Plus Answers to 7 FAQs)
• US Preventive Services Task Force: Falls Prevention in Community-Dwelling Older Adults

The post 075 Preventing Falls: 4 Approaches to Ask Your Doctor About appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

In This Episode:

Dr. K talks with UC Berkeley Professor Andrew Scharlach about his work studying the Village Model and other approaches to supporting aging in place. He is an expert on creating aging-friendly communities and formerly directed Berkeley’s Center for the Advanced Study of Aging Services.  They discuss:

• What is a Village and what’s usually included in the Village model
• How Villages differ from Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs)
• The grassroots history of the first Village and the growth of the Village model
• Why aging in community may be a better goal than aging in place
• Why Professor Scharlach and his colleagues decided to study Villages, and what they’ve learned so far
• How Villages appear to benefit their members
• How the goals and ambitions of Villages have evolved over time
• How Villages manage funding and other challenges
• Whether Villages are a good fit for people who are frail or declining
• Whether Villages really do prevent unwanted relocations

Related episode: 

035 Interview: Aging in the Right Place

Related Resources:

• Village to Village Network website
  • What is a Village and how to join or start one
• Villages in the News
  • For some seniors, a cultural shift and a vital volunteerism
  • ‘Village’ Movement for Aging Seniors Faces Some Challenges
• Selected publications by Andrew Scharlach:
  • The Village Model: A Consumer-Driven Approach for Aging in Place
  • Do Villages Promote Aging in Place? Results of a Longitudinal Study
  • Impact of the Village Model: Results of a National Survey
  • A Tale of Two Community Initiatives for Promoting Aging in Place: Similarities and Differences in the National Implementation of NORC Programs and Villages

The post 074 Interview: How the Village Model Supports Aging in Place & Community appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

In This Episode:

Dr. K explains what older adults and families should know about anticholinergic medications and their negative impact on brain health. Many commonly used over-the-counter and prescription medications are anticholinergic, and on the Beer’s List of Medications Older Adults Should Avoid or Use With Caution. She covers:

• What it means for a medication to be anticholinergic
• The evidence linking anticholinergics with confusion, delirium, and dementia
• Seven commonly used types of medication that are quite anticholinergic
• Why it’s important to minimize anticholinergics if you’re worried about memory or have been diagnosed dementia
• How you can determine whether you or your parent’s medications are anticholinergic
• What to do, if you or an older person you care for is taking an anticholinergic medication

Related episode: 

046 Interview: Deprescribing & Reducing Risky Medications in Aging

Related Resources:

• 7 Common Brain-Slowing Drugs Older Adults Should Use With Caution
• Over-the-counter drugs may pose danger for older people, study says
• 4 Types of Medication to Avoid if You're Worried About Memory
• Related scholarly articles:
  • Chronic Anticholinergic Use and the Aging Brain
  • Association Between Anticholinergic Medication Use and Cognition, Brain Metabolism, and Brain Atrophy in Cognitively Normal Older Adults
  • Cumulative Use of Strong Anticholinergics and Incident Dementia: A Prospective Cohort Study
  • Multiple Anticholinergic Medication Use and Risk of Hospital Admission for Confusion or Dementia

The post 073 Anticholinergic Medications & Protecting Brain Health appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

In This Episode:

Dr. K explains how memory and thinking change as one gets older, due to normal cognitive aging. She covers:

• How cognitive aging is different from a neurodegenerative process such as Alzheimer’s disease
• 6 ways that memory, other mental processes, and emotional processing change with aging
• Why certain mental tasks become harder in late life
• The difference between fluid and crystallized intelligence
• Worrisome signs that should not be attributed to normal cognitive aging
• Practical ways to maintain better brain function, and to compensate for normal age-related changes

Related episodes: 

069 Evaluating Memory & Thinking Problems: 10 Causes & 10 Things to Check

057 How to Manage Cardiovascular Risk Factors for Better Brain Health

048 How Cerebral Small Vessel Disease Affects Most Aging Brains

Related Resources:

• 6 Ways that Memory & Thinking Change with Normal Aging (& What to Do About This)
• 10 Early Signs and Symptoms of Alzheimer’s (includes examples of normal aging)
• How to Promote Brain Health: The Healthy Aging Checklist, Part 1
• Cognitive Aging: Progress in Understanding and Opportunities for Action (National Academy of Medicine Report)
  • Cognitive Aging Action Guide for Individuals and Families
• Pocket Talker

The post 072 Cognitive Aging: How Memory & Thinking Change as One Gets Older appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

In This Episode:

Dr. K talks with Sei Lee, MD, an expert on prognosis and using estimated life expectancy to improve medical care for older adults. Dr. Lee is an Associate Professor in the UCSF Division of Geriatrics. They discuss:

• What the term “prognosis” means, especially when it comes to older adults
• Why a person’s likely life expectancy should be used to tailor medical care
• How the answers to simple questions can be used to predict mortality
• Why even a good life expectancy calculator can’t make exact predictions for a specific person
• Common forms of medical care that may not be worth doing, if life expectancy is limited
• Why it’s important to reconsider intensive diabetes treatment
• How the Eprognosis.org website can help people learn whether cancer screening is still likely to benefit them
• The challenges of discussing prognosis and life expectancy with older adults
• Examples of how we can better focus medical care on “what matters the most”

Related episodes: 

024 Interview: Better Cancer Screening While Aging

039 Interview: Creating Age-Friendly Health Systems

054 How to Make Difficult Decisions Easier: Using Goals of Care & Weighing Benefits vs Burdens

Related Resources:

• Eprognosis.org
  • Cancer screening tool
  • Mortality prediction calculators
  • Communication videos and resources
• Dr. Sei Lee’s related research:
  • Development and Validation of a Prognostic Index for 4-Year Mortality in Older Adults
  • Prognostic Indices for Older Adults: A Systematic Review
• Recommended news columns:
  • The New Old Age (New York Times)
  • Navigating Aging (Kaiser Health News)

The post 071 Interview: How Estimating Life Expectancy Helps Older Adults Get Better Care appeared first on Better Health While Aging.

In This Episode:

Dr. K talks with attorney Candace Heisler, JD, an expert on addressing financial exploitation and other forms of elder abuse. Ms. Heisler served as assistant district attorney for the City and County of San Francisco for over 25 years, and remains active in training various professionals to address elder abuse. They discuss:

• What it means to financially exploit an older person
• The role of trust and relationships in facilitating financial exploitation
• Why it can be hard to determine whether financial abuse has occurred
• What to do if you suspect that an older relative has been financially exploited
• The role of Adult Protective Services in investigating worrisome situations
• The difference between pursuing a criminal case versus a civil case
• What is “undue influence” and how it’s related to financial abuse
• Steps older adults can take to reduce their risk of being financially exploited
• How to reduce the risk of that a power of attorney might be misused