Send us a text

In this episode of the Ask Dr. Mia podcast, Dr. Mia invites her husband, Dr. Alex Fertman, to discuss the nuances of palliative care and hospice, particularly in the context of dementia. They explore the differences between these two forms of care, the challenges families face when dealing with dementia, and the difficult decisions surrounding feeding tubes and end-of-life care. The conversation emphasizes the importance of understanding what constitutes a 'good death' and the dynamics within families as they navigate these tough discussions. Dr. Alex shares valuable insights on how families can prepare for serious illness and the significance of having open conversations about healthcare decisions.

As an Assistant Professor in Palliative Medicine, Dr. Alex Fertman provides care to patients during serious illness. He works with patients and their families to provide care for the whole person, with particular focus on alleviating symptom burden and coordination of complex care. Dr. Fertman address all aspects of a person’s health, and collaborates with an interdisciplinary team consisting of counselors, chaplains, social workers, and pharmacists to provide excellent and comprehensive care. He enjoys active clinical teaching on inpatient rounds with students, residents, and fellows about palliative care and the art of being a great palliative care consultant.  

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Palliative Care and Hospice
03:46 Understanding Dementia and Its Challenges
07:08 Navigating Feeding Decisions in Dementia
09:58 The Concept of a Good Death
12:47 Family Dynamics in End-of-Life Care
16:05 Advice for Families Facing Serious Illness

Support the show

Video on Ask Dr. Mia YouTube channel
Transcripts on www.miayangmd.com. Transcripts are automatically generated and may contain minor inaccuracies.
Email: [email protected]
Opinions expressed are exclusive of Dr. Mia Yang and not reflective of her or guest speaker's employers or funders.

Send us a text

In this episode of Ask Dr. Mia, Rohan Ramakrishna, co-founder of Roon, discusses the innovative healthcare technology platform designed to provide patients with reliable medical information. 

Roon aims to bridge the gap between patients and healthcare experts, offering personalized guidance and 24/7 support. Rohan shares insights into the journey of building Roon, the importance of expert vetting, and the platform's commitment to keeping the service free for users. The conversation also touches on the global reach of Roon and its future aspirations to expand access to healthcare information worldwide.

Rohan Ramakrishna is a professor of neurosurgery at Weill Cornell Medicine and New York Presbyterian hospitals and the Co-Founder of Roon. He attended medical school at the University of Pennsylvania. He then completed training in neurosurgery at the University of Washington and MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Like & Subscribe. Follow Dr. Mia on social media @askdrmia 

Chapters

00:00
Introduction to Roon and Its Purpose

02:57
The Journey of Building Roon

06:03
The Unique Features of Roon

09:14
Expert Vetting and Content Quality

11:51
User Engagement and Feedback

14:57
Global Reach and Future Aspirations

#Roon, #healthcare technology, #patient information, #expert guidance, #caregiver support, #medical information, #health app, #user experience, #global access, #mental health

Support the show

Video on Ask Dr. Mia YouTube channel
Transcripts on www.miayangmd.com. Transcripts are automatically generated and may contain minor inaccuracies.
Email: [email protected]
Opinions expressed are exclusive of Dr. Mia Yang and not reflective of her or guest speaker's employers or funders.

Send us a text

In this episode of the Ask Dr. Mia podcast, Dr. Mia interviews Amanda Gengler, a sociology professor and author, about her personal experiences as a caregiver for her mother with Alzheimer's and her young son. They discuss the complexities of navigating the healthcare system, the emotional labor involved in caregiving, and the challenges of family dynamics. Amanda shares insights on advocacy, the impact of her mother's recent fall, and the strategies she employs to manage stress and communication within her family. In this conversation, Amanda Gengler shares her experiences navigating the complexities of caring for a parent with dementia while also raising her child. The discussion delves into the emotional challenges of family dynamics, the importance of communication with children about illness, and the unique burdens faced by the sandwich generation. Amanda reflects on the surprises and difficulties encountered in her caregiving journey, emphasizing the need for open conversations about death and dying.

Disclaimer: There were audio issues with this episode and some of the interview was edited out. For the full unedited video check out the Ask Dr. Mia Channel on YouTube. Link below;

https://youtu.be/iBrJKKqWoJw?si=67JXHVSFq-v1YNjY

About Amanda Gengler, Ph.D

An associate professor of sociology at Wake Forest University who completed her PhD in Sociology at Brandeis University and a Masters degree in Social Work at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is the author of the book, "Save My Kid" How Families of Critically-Ill Children Cope, Hope, and Negotiate an Unequal Healthcare System, and her current research examines the emotional dynamics of routine pediatric care. She regularly teaches undergraduate courses on the Sociology of Health and Illness, the Sociology of Birth and Death, and the Sociology of Care Work.

Support the show

Video on Ask Dr. Mia YouTube channel
Transcripts on www.miayangmd.com. Transcripts are automatically generated and may contain minor inaccuracies.
Email: [email protected]
Opinions expressed are exclusive of Dr. Mia Yang and not reflective of her or guest speaker's employers or funders.

Send us a text

In this episode of the Ask Dr. Mia podcast, host Dr. Mia speaks with Sam Simon, a lawyer and playwright diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer's disease. Sam shares his journey, including the impact of his diagnosis on his family, the importance of communication, and the challenges of navigating legal and financial planning. He discusses the emotional and practical aspects of living with dementia, the role of family dynamics, and the significance of advocacy. 

Sam Simon shares his personal journey with Alzheimer's disease, discussing the challenges and adaptations he and his wife, Susan, have made. He emphasizes the importance of finding meaning and purpose in life, and the power of love and connection in the face of adversity. 

To learn more about Sam and his play Dementia Man visit his website at https://www.dementiaman.com/ 

Follow Ask Dr, Mia on Instagram, BlueSky, and YouTube 

Support the show

Video on Ask Dr. Mia YouTube channel
Transcripts on www.miayangmd.com. Transcripts are automatically generated and may contain minor inaccuracies.
Email: [email protected]
Opinions expressed are exclusive of Dr. Mia Yang and not reflective of her or guest speaker's employers or funders.

Send us a text

In this episode of Ask Dr. Mia, Jane Smith shares her experiences as a caregiver for her mother-in-law, who is facing dementia. The conversation explores the dynamics of caregiving, the challenges of setting boundaries, and the emotional complexities involved in caring for aging family members. Jane discusses her close relationship with her mother-in-law, the division of caregiving responsibilities among family members, and the impact of these responsibilities on her own family life. The episode also touches on how to communicate with children about dementia and the importance of maintaining family relationships amidst caregiving challenges. 

Visit the Ask Dr. Mia channel or visit https://www.miayangmd.com/ for more info and episodes or follow @askdrmia on Instagram, BlueSky

Chapters

00:00 

Intro

00:49

Intro and Navigating Caregiving Dynamics

10:29
The Good Cop, Bad Cop Dilemma

20:03
Balancing Family Relationships and Caregiving

29:59
Communicating with Children about Dementia

Support the show

Video on Ask Dr. Mia YouTube channel
Transcripts on www.miayangmd.com. Transcripts are automatically generated and may contain minor inaccuracies.
Email: [email protected]
Opinions expressed are exclusive of Dr. Mia Yang and not reflective of her or guest speaker's employers or funders.

Send us a text

Pharmacist Molly Hinely talks about how to help those who might forget to take meds with Dr. Mia.  

• Good vs bad medications for memory
• Right use of technology in helping to remember meds
• Potential benefits and risks of various supplements. 

Sign up for Dr. Mia's email list to get a medication organization sheet. 

Molly Hinely, PharmD, BCPS is the manager for the Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Health pharmacy population health team located in Winston Salem, NC.  She leads a pharmacy team who supports the organization’s transitions of care and value-based care programs in collaboration with nurse navigators, social workers, and community health workers. She also is the residency program director for the PGY2 Population Health Management and Data Analytics program at Wake Forest Baptist Health. Molly’s areas of interest include care transitions, post-acute care, value-based care, medication adherence, social determinants of health, progressive care models and health outcomes.  She earned her Doctor of
Pharmacy degree from the University of South Carolina, completed a pharmacy practice residency at New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington, and has been in practice for 13 years.

Links: hero dispenser: https://herohealth.com/
Med Minder pill dispenser: https://medminder.com/
Live Fine med dispenser 28 days with lock https://www.livefineproduct.com/products/automatic-pill-dispenser-with-frosted-lid-and-large-display

Follow Dr. Mia on social media including YouTube and BlueSky @askdrmia

Keywords

pharmacy, transitions of care, medication management, community pharmacist, memory loss, supplements, geriatric care, caregiver support, medication technology, patient advocacy

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Transitions of Care Pharmacy
02:51 Navigating Medication Management for Loved Ones
06:10 The Role of Community Pharmacists
09:06 Simplifying Medication Regimens
11:54 Technology in Medication Management
15:11 Understanding Medications That Affect Memory
20:02 Supplements and Their Impact on Memory
30:11 Advocating for Better Medication Management

Support the show

Video on Ask Dr. Mia YouTube channel
Transcripts on www.miayangmd.com. Transcripts are automatically generated and may contain minor inaccuracies.
Email: [email protected]
Opinions expressed are exclusive of Dr. Mia Yang and not reflective of her or guest speaker's employers or funders.

Send us a text

In this episode, Dr. Mia and Dr. Kristin Beavers discuss the relationship between weight loss and bone health, emphasizing the importance of exercise, nutrition, and monitoring bone density through DEXA scans. They explore the impact of new diabetes medications GLP-1 inhibitors (such as ozempic, wegovy) on bone health and provide practical tips for maintaining bone density, particularly in older adults.

Kristen M. Beavers, PhD, MPH, RD, is a Professor of Internal Medicine, Section on Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine and an Associate Director of the Sticht Center for Healthy Aging and Alzheimer’s Prevention at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. She received her BS from Cornell University in Human Biology, Health, and Society; MPH and RD from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in
Nutrition; and PhD from Baylor University in Exercise, Nutrition, and Preventive Health. Dr. Beavers’ academic and professional interests lie in the study of nutrition and exercise as interdisciplinary sciences, specifically as they relate to prevention and etiology of chronic disease and disability. She has been continuously funded by the NIH for the past decade and has developed a strong research program focused on mitigating loss of bone mass and strength in persons undergoing intentional weight loss, with three NIH-funded clinical trials underway.

Takeaways

• Weight loss can lead to bone loss, especially with caloric restriction.
• DEXA scans are crucial for assessing bone density and osteoporosis risk.
• Calcium and vitamin D are essential for bone health, especially during weight loss.
• Protein intake should be increased to help preserve bone and muscle during weight loss.
• Weight-bearing exercises are important for maintaining bone density.
• New diabetes medications GLP-1 inhibitors may be associated with bone loss, but more research is needed.
• Balance training is important to prevent falls and fractures in older adults.
• Older adults should be screened for osteoporosis, especially if they have risk factors.
• Maintaining adequate nutrient intake is challenging during weight loss.
• Prior fractures are a significant indicator of osteoporosis risk.

Chapters

00:00
Introduction to Bone Health and Weight Loss

02:56
Understanding Bone Loss During Weight Loss

05:56
DEXA Scans: Measuring Bone Density

08:59
Osteoporosis: Risk Factors and Screening

11:59
Emerging Diabetes Medications and Bone Health

14:57
Exercise: Loading Bones to Prevent Loss

17:57
Nutrition: Key Nutrients for Bone Health

20:59
Practical Tips for Maintaining Bone Density

23:57
Conclusion: Summary of Key Takeaways

Support the show

Video on Ask Dr. Mia YouTube channel
Transcripts on www.miayangmd.com. Transcripts are automatically generated and may contain minor inaccuracies.
Email: [email protected]
Opinions expressed are exclusive of Dr. Mia Yang and not reflective of her or guest speaker's employers or funders.

Send us a text

In this episode of Ask Dr. Mia, host Dr. Mia Yang speaks with Josh Marquess about his family's journey in transitioning his grandmother with Alzheimer's into a memory care facility. They discuss the special bond Josh has with his grandparents, the early signs of Alzheimer's, the emotional challenges of witnessing the progression of the disease, and the difficult decision-making process regarding care options. Josh shares insights on the benefits of memory care, the importance of family support, and the positive aspects of change in caregiving situations.

Takeaways

• The bond with grandparents can be profound and impactful.
• Early signs of Alzheimer's can manifest in confusion and anxiety.
• Recognizing the progression of Alzheimer's is crucial for family members.
• The decision to move a loved one to memory care is often difficult but necessary.
• In-home care can be a viable option for early stages of Alzheimer's.
• Memory care facilities offer specialized support and activities for residents.
• Long-term care insurance can alleviate some financial burdens of memory care.
• Understanding the differences between assisted living and memory care is essential.
• Positive experiences can still be had in memory care settings.
• Reframing the narrative around caregiving can lead to a more positive outlook.

Support the show

Video on Ask Dr. Mia YouTube channel
Transcripts on www.miayangmd.com. Transcripts are automatically generated and may contain minor inaccuracies.
Email: [email protected]
Opinions expressed are exclusive of Dr. Mia Yang and not reflective of her or guest speaker's employers or funders.

Send us a text

In this episode of the Ask Dr. Mia podcast, Dr. Mia speaks with Jeannine Bryant, a downsizing expert, about the challenges and emotional aspects of helping seniors transition to smaller living spaces. They discuss the concept of "right sizing", the importance of planning, and when to seek professional help. 

Jeannine shares practical tips for decluttering, navigating family dynamics, and handling crisis situations, especially for those with memory issues. The conversation emphasizes the emotional journey involved in sorting through belongings and the importance of timing in the moving process, along with resources available for families.

Takeaways

Right sizing is about finding the perfect balance in living space.
Planning ahead is crucial for a smooth transition.
Professional help can ease the burden of moving.
Emotional attachments to belongings can complicate downsizing.
Start the decluttering process early to avoid overwhelm.
Focus on keepsakes that bring joy and memories.
Family dynamics can create tension during the moving process.
Crisis situations require careful planning and support.
It's important to respect the wishes of the older adult.
Resources are available to assist families in the transition process.

Rightsizing expert Jeannine Bryant is the owner and CEO of Changing Spaces SRS, a senior move management company in Lincoln, Nebraska.  She has helped provide rightsizing and relocation services to seniors since 2010.  During that time, she has been actively involved in the downsizing and moving processes of thousands of older adults.

She is the author two books on the rightsizing process, Keep the Memories, Not the Stuff and Ready to Rightsize?  A step-by-step guide to your rightsizing journey.

She provides free resources filled with downsizing tips for older adults on her website www.EasyRightsizing.com, including downloadable worksheets, books, and an online course to guide people through the downsizing process with ease. 

Bryant has been featured on numerous podcasts and is a regular contributor on various TV news stations.  Originally from North Dakota, she holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Northwestern College in Orange City, IA and a Master of Arts degree from University of Nebraska – Lincoln. 

Website: https://easyrightsizing.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EasyRightsizing/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/easyrightsizing/

Support the show

Video on Ask Dr. Mia YouTube channel
Transcripts on www.miayangmd.com. Transcripts are automatically generated and may contain minor inaccuracies.
Email: [email protected]
Opinions expressed are exclusive of Dr. Mia Yang and not reflective of her or guest speaker's employers or funders.

Send us a text

Summary

In this episode of Ask Dr. Mia, Dr. Mia shares her personal journey as a caregiver for her mother, who passed away from ovarian cancer. She discusses the challenges of navigating caregiving, grief, and the complexities of relationships between caregivers and their aging parents. Dr. Mia emphasizes the importance of understanding and accepting the wishes of loved ones, especially when it comes to treatment options, and reflects on her own experiences and feelings of unresolved anger and abandonment. The podcast aims to provide valuable insights and support for caregivers and those dealing with aging-related issues.

Takeaways

Dr. Mia shares her personal journey as a caregiver.

The importance of understanding the wishes of loved ones.

Navigating the complexities of caregiver relationships.

Grief counseling can help caregivers cope with their emotions.

Alternative treatments can be a point of contention in caregiving.

The podcast aims to bridge the gap in geriatric knowledge for the lay audience.

Caregiving often brings unresolved feelings to the surface.

Communication styles can differ significantly between generations.

Acceptance of a parent's limitations is crucial in caregiving.

The podcast serves as a voice of solidarity for caregivers.

Support the show

Video on Ask Dr. Mia YouTube channel
Transcripts on www.miayangmd.com. Transcripts are automatically generated and may contain minor inaccuracies.
Email: [email protected]
Opinions expressed are exclusive of Dr. Mia Yang and not reflective of her or guest speaker's employers or funders.