Dr Liz Blog
Dementia Myth No. 2: All Bad Behavior Results from Unmet Needs
I have a bedridden dementia patient who is lucky to be able to remain in her house. She receives 24/7 care from long-suffering, dedicated and kind nurse’s aides. Her family has returned from the…
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Is It a Memory Lapse or Is It Dementia?
Geriatric Specialist Elizabeth Landsverk, MD Provides Guidance and Tips for Patients and Families About 10% of all people over the age of 65 have some form of dementia, by the age of 85 that…
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Dementia Myth No. 1: You can predict the progress of dementia
No, I’m afraid that you can’t. As I stated in my previous post, we as a society cling to the idea that dementia is simply a gradual fading out, a progressive loss of memories…
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Delirium & Dementia: They’re Not the Same!
Delirium is a sudden and severe change in brain function that can make a person seem confused or disoriented. It's often triggered by a serious illness, by certain medications, drug withdrawal or intoxication. The…
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Agitation: Ativan Is Not the Answer—Is it Delirium?
So what is agitation? The answer to that question can vary greatly. It depends on the observer, and the observer’s frame reference. It could be a person, sitting in the comfort of his own…
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Agitation: Ativan is not the answer: Goals of Care
As I was preparing for a talk to nurses and discharge planners in Sacramento, I was reminded of a patient I had a few years ago. He was a Canadian diplomat. He spoke five…
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Caregiver Burnout: The Quiet Pandemic
Here’s a statistic that I mention pretty frequently: There are nearly 60 million people over the age of 65 in the United States, yet by some counts there are only about 3,500 practicing geriatricians.1…
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The Wild, Wild West of Medication
Dementia and medications really are a wild, wild west for so many patients. The issue is that far too many patients are peppered with medications like birdshot, often prescribed by multiple different doctors. A hurried…
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Assisted Living: 3 Important Signs That Your Loved One May Need It
Making the decision to move a loved one to assisted living can be difficult. They may be anxious about losing independence, and you might struggle with doubts about your decision. It’s completely normal for…
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