Blog
Be Ready for the Worst
By that headline, I don’t mean, “Be ready for the dementia to progress.” Nor do I mean, “Wait until ‘Disease X’ gets worse.” I mean, “Be ready for disasters: earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados,...
Denial and the Family
As I do geriatric house calls around the Bay Area, adult children and other relatives of my patients often say, “He’s just not the way he used to be. Why can’t he be the way he used to be?” Children...
Always Check the Meds First
Recently, I saw an elderly old man who seemed to have Parkinson’s disease, and perhaps Lewy body dementia (see footnote). His family was having a terrible time coping with his behavior. Then, I...
Things Really Become Different As You Age
Elders sometimes tell me that they feel younger on the inside than they do on the outside. I get that. I think most of us form a mental picture of ourselves somewhere between 25 and 35. Our mental...
Guest post: Palliative Care by the People, for the People: A Call for a New Grassroots Movement
Excellent article by local RN and author J. Redwing Keyssar What Do We Want? Humane, holistic affordable health care especially at the end of our lives When Do We Want It? Now! Most “Baby Boomers” —...
Doctor, How Long?
As I do geriatric house calls around the San Francisco Bay Area, I am asked this question all the time. Like many areas in geriatrics, the expected life span of a patient is often quite difficult to...
Palliative Care for the People
Excellent article by local RN and author J. Redwing Keyssar What Do We Want? Humane, holistic affordable health care especially at the end of our lives When Do We Want It? Now! Most "Baby Boomers"...
Transportation for Seniors?
We periodically receive requests for information on free or low cost transportation for Seniors in the Bay Area to help them get to appointments, go shopping or visit friends. We often...
“Dying in America” Report Says the End-of-Life Care is Broken
The way that we care for people at the end-of-life is broken at almost every level, according to a report released last month by the Institute of Medicine, an independent research arm of the...
Tough Tasks in Dementia: Toothbrushing and Feeding
One of the best caregiving techniques from Teepa Snow- how to help someone with dementia brush their teeth or feed themselves. So simple (once you know it!) and so effective. Teepa is coming to...
“The Impact of Dementia on Your Family’s Wealth”
Please join us in San Mateo on Thursday, September 11th for an important talk about early dementia and financial challenges. How would dementia affect your family’s wealth? What happens if an elder...
When Walking is No Longer an Option
When Walking is No Longer an Option In my last post, I wrote about how important I think it is for patients to keep moving, walking, if possible. Of course, for many patients there comes a time when...
Music and Dementia: What’s the connection?
In my practice, as I see patients with dementia in their homes and in assisted living communities, throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, I am often struck by the difference in patients surrounded...
How to Know if Your Elder Should Stop Driving
Many elders with very early-stage dementia may still drive without being a danger to themselves or to others. One of the most difficult challenges families face is: When do you take the car keys...
Can Elders Remember “Sundowning”?
Recently, on an eldercare professionals group on LinkedIn, a post about a man in Indonesia who describes his “sundowning” received a lot of attention. If you have a loved one who is suffering from...