Delirium: What is it and How is it Different from Dementia?
Delirium is a sudden and severe brain function change that causes a person to appear confused or disoriented or to have difficulty maintaining focus, thinking clearly, and remembering recent events....
Your Brain on Gratitude
It's been a year. We've all had terrible things to face. It might be financial distress as our industry shuts down because of the pandemic. It might be the loss of a loved one to COVID-19. The...
Vascular Dementia—The Problem Most Don’t Know About
Everyone has heard of dementia. And everyone worries about dementia. At age 60, 10 percent of us will have dementia. By age 80, 40 percent of us will. Dementia is damage to the brain, just as heart...
Raise a Glass, Sure, But Take Care
I will admit, I like good eggnog. Champagne for New Year's Eve. A beer with good Indian food. A glass of red wine at a dinner party. In our culture, alcohol is entwined with celebration. And very...
Beware Of Internet Scams
Alas, grifters have always been with us. Just think of the saying, "If you believe that, I have a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you!" That saying has its roots in a con more than a century old: George...
Stop Aging! Prevent Dementia!
As I care for the families of those with dementia, nothing drives me crazier than the myriad businesses/practitioners/physicians who seek to separate people from their money by offering miracle...
What is Lewy Body Dementia
Many families who consult our practice are surprised to find that there are many kinds of dementia. It's not just Alzheimer's disease that can cause cognitive decline. One of the most confounding...
Connected Horse: Sparking Joy in those with Dementia
As a geriatrician doing house calls and specializing in working through difficult situations, one of my core messages to families is that people with dementia can still have meaningful lives....
Elder Agitation Not Always UTI
Your Elder is Anxious and Upset. A UTI Might Be to Blame As I emphasize daily, when an elder is agitated, the first thing to do is look for practical reasons. Very often, a urinary tract infection...
What If The Most Common Medication For Agitation Actually Makes It Worse?
Anyone who cares for someone with dementia knows that agitation is often part of the package. Nearly 20 percent of those with faltering cognition experience behavioral symptoms (anxiety, agitation,...
Mom Needs Help. Mom Won’t Accept Help. What To Do.
I cannot count the number of times I have heard some version of this story: "My Mom is losing it. She's lost $20,000 to various scammers who call her pretending to be collecting for charities. She's...
Preventing Dementia, the Basics
The good news: We're living longer. The bad news: By the time we're in our 80s, about half of us will have some form of dementia. For most people, dementia is one of our greatest fears as we face...
Early Dementia: Balancing Independence and Safety
In many ways, the beginnings and early stages of dementia can be among the most challenging. Your loved one may not recognize subtle changes in his cognition. You may not be sure exactly when to...
Horses Helping Seniors
It’s well known that horses offer therapeutic benefits. New research is showing how they can help people with dementia and their caregivers. Thinking back, Gloria Passarella estimates her husband,...
Trump Gets Perfect Score on Dementia Testing, Too Bad it’s Not the Right Test
As everyone now knows, President Trump went in for his official, annual medical exam, which included a test of his “capacity,” that is, a measure of his intellectual ability to manage his affairs...