What works best for treating depression and anxiety in dementia?
It’s 3 pm on a warm, sunny Saturday. For the past 20 years your mother would dress in her finest clothes and walk to her neighbor’s house for her weekly bridge game. For the past month, however, she...
View ArticleGrandparenting in the time of COVID-19
Baby boomers are used to embracing grandparenting head on. Some of us have moved across the country to be with our grandchildren; others regularly bridge distances via FaceTime and Skype; many take...
View ArticleOlder adults and medical marijuana: Reduced stigma and increased use
As a primary care doctor who has incorporated medical cannabis into his practice, it is notable how many silver-haired patients are coming in to discuss the pros and cons of a trial of medical...
View ArticleCOVID-19: If you’re older and have chronic health problems, read this
By now, you’ve probably heard this warning about the new coronavirus pandemic: those who are older and have a chronic medical condition are at increased risk for severe disease and death. If you fall...
View ArticleThink running is not for you? Try this
The first time I tried running, I hated it. It was only two miles, but I was positive I would never, ever run again. Sure, I understood the many benefits of running like improved heart health, weight...
View ArticleStruggling with attention and organization as you age? It could be ADHD, not...
As we get older, occasional forgetfulness may become more worrisome. Is this the start of dementia, or are we just stressed? Has the loss of structure due to retirement led to this change? Or could we...
View ArticleLooking past the pandemic: Could building on our willingness to change...
If the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that people have the capacity to change entrenched behaviors when the stakes are high enough. Who among us declared that 2020 would be the year for...
View ArticleIs it time to give up your annual mammogram?
If you dread your annual mammogram, you’re not alone. For many women, this breast cancer screening examination can be painful, stressful, and just an overall hassle. You may wonder, are you old enough...
View ArticleAll rise now — just how fit are you?
How fit are you, really? Fitness is not always best measured by parameters like your weight, your ability to run a 5K, or whether you can do 10 push-ups. Instead, one test of fitness is how well you...
View ArticleSome healthcare can safely wait (and some can’t)
Among the many remarkable things that have happened since the COVID-19 pandemic began is that a lot of our usual medical care has simply stopped. According to a recent study, routine testing for...
View ArticleReducing your risk of changes in thinking following surgery
Cognition is an important function of the brain that enables us to acquire and process information, to enhance our understanding of thoughts, experiences, and our senses. Any condition that affects our...
View ArticleThe plight of nursing home residents in a pandemic
For anyone living in a nursing home or other long-term or assisted-living facility, these are particularly difficult times. I’ve heard more than one resident complain bitterly about feeling trapped in...
View ArticleCan controlling blood pressure later in life reduce risk of dementia?
Everyone talks about the importance of treating high blood pressure, the “silent killer.” And everybody knows that untreated high blood pressure can lead to heart attacks and strokes. But can treating...
View ArticleDoes air pollution cause Alzheimer’s disease?
Have you ever spent the day in a city with such bad air pollution that when you blew your nose the mucus had a black tinge? Have you ever coughed as you breathed in diesel fumes from a passing bus and...
View ArticleHow can you help a loved one suffering from loneliness?
You are worried about your mother. Before the pandemic, you would visit her every week with your young children. They loved playing in her garden and eating homemade cookies together. You would take...
View ArticleWhy is music good for the brain?
Can music really affect your well-being, learning, cognitive function, quality of life, and even happiness? A recent survey on music and brain health conducted by AARP revealed some interesting...
View ArticleEarly birds may be more active, but night owls can catch up
Being an early bird has long been associated with a go-getter attitude. Early birds, or those who tend to wake early and go to bed early, are people who naturally feel sleepy earlier in the evening and...
View ArticleHow to recognize a ministroke or stroke — and what to do
If you suddenly experience a strange but fleeting symptom — your arm or face suddenly feels weak or numb — you might be tempted to brush it off, especially if it’s short-lived. But if those odd,...
View ArticleA new Alzheimer’s drug: From advisory panel to FDA — what’s at stake here?
It’s been more than 17 years since the FDA last approved an Alzheimer’s drug. Will Biogen’s drug, called aducanumab, end this drought? The FDA will decide by March 2021, based on its own analysis of...
View Article7 strategies for partnering up with ED
Erectile dysfunction (ED) doesn’t affect only men; it extends to their partners as well. After all, the sexual difficulties are also theirs. Still, men are often reluctant to talk about their ED. They...
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