Kate is an 84-year-old widow with mild Alzheimer’s Disease. She lives alone and in the past year she has lost 10 pounds. She has also fallen multiple times. This is serious. The last time she fell she was on the floor for at least 8 hours. Her daughter called and then came by when Kate didn’t answer the phone. She was hospitalized for a condition called rhabdomyolysis. Afterwards, she was in a skilled nursing facility before returning home. She regained weight and received physical therapy. The daughter has “decluttered” the apartment to decrease the risk […]
Category Archives: Alzheimer’s
I’m still a person
The physician who hired me decades ago was a leader. It took his entire career but against a great deal of resistance, he built a premier healthcare system. Even so, he always had time for me. Whenever I stopped by, he would always pull up a chair. It was as if my activities and ideas were just as important as his. There’s something else I remember. I became his healthcare provider not long after he developed Parkinson’s Disease. He ended up being a frequent user of the healthcare system he built. He had many falls. […]
Three Pillars of Dignity: Dr. Warren joins Amy Goyer on Facebook Live
Amy Goyer has taken care of her mom, dad, and sister all at the same time. She is the real deal, a sandwich generation caregiver. Amy is author of the book: “Juggling Life, Work, and Caregiving”. She also hosts the AARP Caregivers Discussion Group on Facebook. Amy and I had a strong connection ever since we met in Hawaii during pre-Covid days. Last week, we finally had a chance to videochat with her caregivers group. We decided to talk about a particularly important topic: dignity. Why dignity? Because it’s one thing to take care of […]
Solving the over medication dilemma
In previous posts, Dr. Green had discussed some of the hazards associated with medication use among older adults. She has also discussed classes of medications that are of concern. In this final post, Dr. Green discusses approaches she has used to deprescribing. Warmest Aloha, [email protected] PS: I say it over and over again: There’s no one more important than the caregiver in the daily life of a frail person.
Medicines that can cause problems in seniors
In our last post Dr. Ariel Green described a patient who improved dramatically when many of her medicines were stopped. In this video, Dr. Green describes the classes of medications that can cause problems in seniors. Dr. Green is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Division of Geriatric Medicine. Warmest Aloha, [email protected] PS: I say it over and over again: There’s no one more important than the caregiver in the daily life of a frail person.
Medicines, Medicines, Medicines, an Epidemic Problem
Whether it’s hypertension, diabetes, arthritis there’s always a prescription. For every problem there’s one or more drugs. But is this always good? Dr. Ariel Green, Associate Professor of Medicine at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine points out that medicines are sometimes the problem. Geriatricians know. Every pill is a potential problem. Warmest Aloha, [email protected] PS: I say it over and over again: There’s no one more important than the caregiver in the daily life of a frail person.
“Wow! She really ate well!” 4 Things Caregivers Can Do to Improve an Older Person’s Appetite
I have a dear friend who is incredibly accomplished and independent. I’ve always loved visiting with and hearing about her adventures — including sailing around the world on a sailboat when she was well into her 70s! But on a recent visit, I became concerned. Now 93, my friend was sleeping much of the day. She’d had some falls and was unable to reach her walker on the other side of the room. Most concerning, she’d lost weight. When I checked her kitchen, she had very little food. The leftovers in her fridge were clearly […]
A Patient with Delirium. Don’t Say: “You’re Confused!”
Dr. Inouye has been discussing delirium. By coincidence I recently cared for a patient with acute and distressing delirium. Sue is an 80-year-old woman who has mild Alzheimer’s Disease. Recently she fell and fractured a small bone in her hand. She was seen in the emergency room and a cast was put on. She was given a narcotic, hydrocodone, to relieve the pain. That night, at 1:30 in the morning, she walked over to her neighbor’s house in her nightgown. Her husband was sleeping next to her but didn’t wake up. The neighbors brought her […]
