Talking Dementia

In this episode, Remo geriatrician Dr. Seetha Bhagavatula talks about her lifelong passion for elder care. Seetha shares her personal journey, inspired by caring for her grandparents at home and witnessing the power of aging in place. She explores the question of identity in dementia and talks about a person's sense of self and how their relationships often remain intact even as the disease progresses. She shares powerful examples of how approaching individuals as whole people – not just as patients – can unlock communication, improve their well-being, and deepen connections. This holistic and proactive approach focuses on "what matters most" to the individual and is the very foundation of Remo's work. Seetha delivers a strong message for caregivers: don't wait until burnout to ask for help – seeking support is a sign of strength and is essential for the long-term health of both the caregiver and their loved one.

About this episode’s featured guest

Dr. Seetha Bhagavatula is a fellowship-trained geriatrician. She got her medical degree from Jagiellonian University Medical College, did her internal medicine residency at St. Elizabeth's Medical Center in Boston, and her geriatric medicine fellowship at Duke. Seetha has worked in multiple care settings, including inpatient, outpatient, skilled nursing facilities, assisted and independent living communities, CCRC, memory care units, and supportive housing. Prior to Remo, she was a geriatrician at Summit Elder Care PACE in Massachusetts, where she helped elders age in place with an emphasis on quality of life, patient-driven care, and what matters most.

About Remo’s host Dr. Emily Silverman

Dr. Emily Silverman is an internal-medicine physician, Assistant Volunteer Professor of Medicine at UCSF. She is the creator and host of The Nocturnists, an award-winning medical storytelling program that has uplifted the voices of more than 450 clinicians since 2016 through its podcast and live performances. Her work has been supported by a MacDowell fellowship and widely published in numerous publications including JAMA, The New York Times, and NPR. Learn more about Emily by visiting her website.

Connect with us

Learn more about Remo Health and how we’re delivering better dementia care to patients and those who care for them. Subscribe to the Remo Health newsletter.

Follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook for the latest information, news, and guidance on all things #dementia and #brainhealth.

Have a question or a topic you’d like to hear more about? Email us at [email protected].

The information in this podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not the practice of medicine or any profession. It is not intended to be medical advice and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

In this episode, Dr. Cheryl Phillips, a nationally recognized expert in geriatrics and health policy, speaks about her lifelong mission to improve elder care. She shares her powerful childhood story of witnessing the lack of dignity in a nursing home, which inspired her to become a geriatrician and systems-level leader. Cheryl explores how new payment models like CMS’s GUIDE program are finally aligning incentives to support a whole-person approach to care, emphasizing that a dementia diagnosis is not just a medical problem, but one that requires a full support system.

About this episode’s featured guest

Dr. Cheryl Phillips is a nationally recognized expert in geriatrics and health policy. She's the former CEO of the Special Needs Plan Alliance and now serves as a senior consultant with the John A. Hartford Foundation's Age-Friendly Health Systems Initiative. A fellowship-trained geriatrician, Dr. Phillips has led major efforts in Medicare Advantage, special needs plans, and long-term care. She's a past president of both the American Geriatric Society and the American Medical Directors Association and regularly advises federal agencies on elder care policy.

Learn more about Dr. Phillips here.

About Remo’s host Dr. Emily Silverman

Dr. Emily Silverman is an internal-medicine physician, Assistant Volunteer Professor of Medicine at UCSF. She is the creator and host of The Nocturnists, an award-winning medical storytelling program that has uplifted the voices of more than 450 clinicians since 2016 through its podcast and live performances. Her work has been supported by a MacDowell fellowship and widely published in numerous publications including JAMA, The New York Times, and NPR. Learn more about Emily by visiting her website.

Connect with us

Learn more about Remo Health and how we’re delivering better dementia care to patients and those who care for them. Subscribe to the Remo Health newsletter.

Follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook for the latest information, news, and guidance on all things #dementia and #brainhealth.

Have a question or a topic you’d like to hear more about? Email us at [email protected].

The information in this podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not the practice of medicine or any profession. It is not intended to be medical advice and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

In this episode, occupational therapist and founder of Your Dementia Therapist Mary Osborne explains how OTs act as "detectives," uncovering the root causes of challenging behaviors like refusal of care, which often stem from memory issues, anosognosia (lack of insight), or trouble initiating tasks. She highlights how occupational therapy helps people maximize their quality of life by adapting daily activities and addresses common caregiver struggles, like refusal of care and the necessity of adapting to dementia’s constant changes. Mary also introduces her "Calm Caregiver Toolkit," a practical resource that blends neuroscience, spirituality, and mindfulness.

About this episode’s featured guest

Mary Osborne is a licensed occupational therapist with over a decade of experience specializing in dementia care. She holds a Master of Occupational Therapy from Louisiana State University (LSU) and has worked in a variety of settings, including skilled nursing facilities and home health. Founder of the platform Your Dementia Therapist, Mary also contributes regularly as an educator, speaker, and content creator focused on practical evidence-based strategies for dementia caregivers.

Learn more about Mary here.

About Remo’s host Dr. Emily Silverman

Dr. Emily Silverman is an internal-medicine physician, Assistant Volunteer Professor of Medicine at UCSF. She is the creator and host of The Nocturnists, an award-winning medical storytelling program that has uplifted the voices of more than 450 clinicians since 2016 through its podcast and live performances. Her work has been supported by a MacDowell fellowship and widely published in numerous publications including JAMA, The New York Times, and NPR. Learn more about Emily by visiting her website.

Connect with us

Learn more about Remo Health and how we’re delivering better dementia care to patients and those who care for them. Subscribe to the Remo Health newsletter.

Follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook for the latest information, news, and guidance on all things #dementia and #brainhealth.

Have a question or a topic you’d like to hear more about? Email us at [email protected].

The information in this podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not the practice of medicine or any profession. It is not intended to be medical advice and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Remo Health's Medical Director Dr. Chris Vercammen-Grandjean joins the podcast to discuss his unique philosophy on caring for older adults. He highlights the "5Ms" framework (What Matters, Medications, Mentation, Multi-morbidity, Mobility) and how this holistic empowers families navigating dementia to advocate for better care. As a geriatrician and palliative care specialist, Dr. Vercammen works to close significant gaps in traditional healthcare for older adults, particularly those with dementia. He shares powerful stories of how Remo Health's interdisciplinary, virtual care model bridges these gaps – keeping patients comfortable at home, reducing hospital visits, and ensuring comprehensive support for both the patient and their family.

About this episode’s featured guest

Dr. Chris Vercammen-Grandjean is the medical director at Remo Health and a general internist specializing in geriatrics and palliative care. He earned his medical degree from UCSF, where he also completed his internal medicine residency and served as chief resident at the San Francisco VA Medical Center. Chris has worked across hospitals, long-term care facilities, and clinics with a consistent focus on compassionate, high-quality care. Prior to Remo, he was the medical director of the Providence 65 Plus Age-Friendly Clinic in Tustin, California, and provided primary care at St. Jude Heritage Medical Group in Yorba Linda, California.

Learn more about Dr. Vercammen here.

About Remo’s host Dr. Emily Silverman

Dr. Emily Silverman is an internal-medicine physician, Assistant Volunteer Professor of Medicine at UCSF. She is the creator and host of The Nocturnists, an award-winning medical storytelling program that has uplifted the voices of more than 450 clinicians since 2016 through its podcast and live performances. Her work has been supported by a MacDowell fellowship and widely published in numerous publications including JAMA, The New York Times, and NPR. Learn more about Emily by visiting her website.

Connect with us

Learn more about Remo Health and how we’re delivering better dementia care to patients and those who care for them. Subscribe to the Remo Health newsletter.

Follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook for the latest information, news, and guidance on all things #dementia and #brainhealth.

Have a question or a topic you’d like to hear more about? Email us at [email protected].

The information in this podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not the practice of medicine or any profession. It is not intended to be medical advice and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Dr. Anne Basting joins Remo Health to discuss her pioneering work in transforming conventional dementia care by exploring the power of creativity and storytelling. Her trademark “TimeSlips method” encourages caregivers to shift the focus from lost memories to new ways of connecting with their loved ones. Drawing from over 25 years of experience, Dr. Basting teaches us how improvisational storytelling techniques can transform passive care settings into lively and engaging spaces. She explains how caregivers can engage with individuals living with dementia in a way that moves beyond the "cold truth" or "therapeutic lie" by focusing on fostering genuine connection and living in the moment together.

About this episode’s featured guest

Anne Basting, PhD, is a scholar, writer, and advocate for creative aging. She is a professor emeritus of theater at the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee and the founder of Timeslips, a nonprofit organization that promotes creative storytelling as a means of engaging people with dementia. In her book, Creative Care, she challenges traditional dementia care by shifting the focus from memory loss to imagination and meaningful connection. A MacArthur Fellow, Basting's innovative approach has transformed how we engage with aging and promote the fostering of dignity and joy through the arts.

Learn more about Dr. Basting’s work here.

About Remo’s host Dr. Emily Silverman

Dr. Emily Silverman is an internal-medicine physician, Assistant Volunteer Professor of Medicine at UCSF. She is the creator and host of The Nocturnists, an award-winning medical storytelling program that has uplifted the voices of more than 450 clinicians since 2016 through its podcast and live performances. Her work has been supported by a MacDowell fellowship and widely published in numerous publications including JAMA, The New York Times, and NPR. Learn more about Emily by visiting her website.

Connect with us

Learn more about Remo Health and how we’re delivering better dementia care to patients and those who care for them. Subscribe to the Remo Health newsletter.

Follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook for the latest information, news, and guidance on all things #dementia and #brainhealth.

Have a question or a topic you’d like to hear more about? Email us at [email protected].

The information in this podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not the practice of medicine or any profession. It is not intended to be medical advice and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Chris Perry, a Senior Citizen Resource Officer in Ohio, shares the deeply personal experience of losing his mother to dementia in 2018 and how this led to his current role with the Amberley Village Police Department. Officer Perry discusses the early, often subtle signs of his mom’s dementia, the emotional toll of her decline, and his frustration with societal misunderstandings. He advocates for nationwide police training in dementia awareness, highlighting how understanding the disease can lead to more empathetic responses, prevent tragic misunderstandings, and even offer a profound sense of purpose and healing for officers dealing with their own trauma. His work extends to proactive community engagement — assisting seniors with daily tasks, providing practical home safety tips, and offering companionship to combat isolation and loneliness.

About this episode’s featured guest

Chris Perry is a 30-year law enforcement veteran, retired from the Cincinnati Police Department. He now serves as a Senior Citizen Resource Officer for Amberley Village Police Department in Hamilton County, Ohio. His advocacy for dementia awareness and first responder training stems from his personal experience caring for his mother who lived with dementia. He built his unique role with the Amberley Village PD from the ground up, providing 24/7 compassionate, in-home support that blends traditional policing with direct community care.

Learn more about Officer Chris Perry’s work with the Amberley Village Senior Safety Program here.

About Remo’s host Dr. Emily Silverman

Dr. Emily Silverman is an internal-medicine physician, Assistant Volunteer Professor of Medicine at UCSF. She is the creator and host of The Nocturnists, an award-winning medical storytelling program that has uplifted the voices of more than 450 clinicians since 2016 through its podcast and live performances. Her work has been supported by a MacDowell fellowship and widely published in numerous publications including JAMA, The New York Times, and NPR. Learn more about Emily by visiting her website.

Connect with us

Learn more about Remo Health and how we’re delivering better dementia care to patients and those who care for them. Subscribe to the Remo Health newsletter.

Follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook for the latest information, news, and guidance on all things #dementia and #brainhealth.

Have a question or a topic you’d like to hear more about? Email us at [email protected].

The information in this podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not the practice of medicine or any profession. It is not intended to be medical advice and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Neuropsychologist Dr. Kate Possin joins the podcast to discuss advancements in the detection, diagnosis, and care of neurodegenerative diseases. She explains the neuropsychologist's role in identifying cognitive impairment patterns for conditions such as Alzheimer's and Lewy Body disease, highlighting the importance of early diagnosis during mild cognitive impairment. Dr. Possin also shares insights on the innovative GUIDE model, a Medicare program supporting team-based dementia care, and introduces the Care Ecosystem, a telephone-based program that scales dementia support by connecting patients and caregivers with dementia care guides and specialists. Tune in to learn about her vision for the future of dementia care, emphasizing early detection, integrated systems, and timely access to emerging treatments.

About this episode’s featured guest

Dr. Kate Possin is a neuropsychologist and professor in the Department of Neurology at UCSF. Her research focuses on enhancing detection, diagnosis and care for neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's or Lewy Body disease. She leads the tab cat project, a platform for cognitive testing and developed the brain health assessment for quick cognitive impairment screening. She also directs the care ecosystem, a support program for dementia patients and caregivers. Kate, thank you so much for being here today.

Learn more about Dr. Possin here.

About Remo’s host Dr. Emily Silverman

Dr. Emily Silverman is an internal-medicine physician, Assistant Volunteer Professor of Medicine at UCSF. She is the creator and host of The Nocturnists, an award-winning medical storytelling program that has uplifted the voices of more than 450 clinicians since 2016 through its podcast and live performances. Her work has been supported by a MacDowell fellowship and widely published in numerous publications including JAMA, The New York Times, and NPR. Learn more about Emily by visiting her website.

Connect with us

Learn more about Remo Health and how we’re delivering better dementia care to patients and those who care for them. Subscribe to the Remo Health newsletter.

Follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook for the latest information, news, and guidance on all things #dementia and #brainhealth.

Have a question or a topic you’d like to hear more about? Email us at [email protected].

The information in this podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not the practice of medicine or any profession. It is not intended to be medical advice and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Dr. Adeline Goss, a neurologist and writer, discusses her personal experience navigating her mother's Alzheimer's disease and her professional perspective on dementia care. She shares insights into the challenges of early-stage diagnosis, the transition from mild cognitive impairment to dementia, and the emotional complexities of witnessing a loved one's gradual decline. Dr. Goss also delves into the controversial new Alzheimer's drug, lecanemab, weighing its potential benefits against its risks and high costs. She highlights the importance of shared decision-making in dementia care and reflects on the subtle losses and ambiguous grief associated with the disease, while also finding moments of beauty and presence within her mother's experience.

About this episode’s featured guest

Dr. Adeline Goss is a practicing neurohospitalist at Highland Hospital, a public teaching hospital in Oakland, California. She completed her neurology residency and neurohospitalist fellowship at UCSF, Medical internship at Massachusetts General Hospital, and medical school at the University of Pennsylvania, Perlman School of Medicine. She is the host and executive producer of the American neurological Association's podcast “Ana investigates”. She is also the author of a beautiful essay What should we think of the new Alzheimer's drugs? in the Boston Globe.

Learn more about Dr. Goss at her website.

About Remo’s host Dr. Emily Silverman

Dr. Emily Silverman is an internal-medicine physician, Assistant Volunteer Professor of Medicine at UCSF. She is the creator and host of The Nocturnists, an award-winning medical storytelling program that has uplifted the voices of more than 450 clinicians since 2016 through its podcast and live performances. Her work has been supported by a MacDowell fellowship and widely published in numerous publications including JAMA, The New York Times, and NPR. Learn more about Emily by visiting her website.

Connect with us

Learn more about Remo Health and how we’re delivering better dementia care to patients and those who care for them. Subscribe to the Remo Health newsletter.

Follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook for the latest information, news, and guidance on all things #dementia and #brainhealth.

Have a question or a topic you’d like to hear more about? Email us at [email protected].

The information in this podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not the practice of medicine or any profession. It is not intended to be medical advice and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Episode description

Dr. Adeline Goss, a neurologist and writer, discusses her personal experience navigating her mother's Alzheimer's disease and her professional perspective on dementia care. She shares insights into the challenges of early-stage diagnosis, the transition from mild cognitive impairment to dementia, and the emotional complexities of witnessing a loved one's gradual decline. Dr. Goss also delves into the controversial new Alzheimer's drug, lecanemab, weighing its potential benefits against its risks and high costs. She highlights the importance of shared decision-making in dementia care and reflects on the subtle losses and ambiguous grief associated with the disease, while also finding moments of beauty and presence within her mother's experience.

About this episode’s featured guest

Dr. Adeline Goss is a practicing neurohospitalist at Highland Hospital, a public teaching hospital in Oakland, California. She completed her neurology residency and neurohospitalist fellowship at UCSF, Medical internship at Massachusetts General Hospital, and medical school at the University of Pennsylvania, Perlman School of Medicine. She is the host and executive producer of the American neurological Association's podcast “Ana investigates”. She is also the author of a beautiful essay What should we think of the new Alzheimer's drugs? in the Boston Globe.

Learn more about Dr. Goss at her website.

About Remo’s host Dr. Emily Silverman

Dr. Emily Silverman is an internal-medicine physician, Assistant Volunteer Professor of Medicine at UCSF. She is the creator and host of The Nocturnists, an award-winning medical storytelling program that has uplifted the voices of more than 450 clinicians since 2016 through its podcast and live performances. Her work has been supported by a MacDowell fellowship and widely published in numerous publications including JAMA, The New York Times, and NPR. Learn more about Emily by visiting her website.

Connect with us

Learn more about Remo Health and how we’re delivering better dementia care to patients and those who care for them. Subscribe to the Remo Health newsletter.

Follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook for the latest information, news, and guidance on all things #dementia and #brainhealth.

Have a question or a topic you’d like to hear more about? Email us at [email protected].

The information in this podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not the practice of medicine or any profession. It is not intended to be medical advice and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

In this episode of Talking Dementia with Remo Health, Dr. Emily Silverman interviews Matt LeKrey, Remo co-founder and chief product officer, whose father lives with semantic variant primary progressive aphasia, a ​​subtype of frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Matt shares his deeply personal journey, from the complex process of diagnosis to the shock of realizing the extent of the disease, and the subsequent work to understand and manage the situation. He discusses the lack of support and resources available to caregivers, emphasizing the need for care that addresses both clinical and non-clinical aspects of dementia. Matt's story underscores the transformative power of purpose and the opportunity for personal growth in the face of adversity, ultimately driving his mission to create Remo Health.

About this episode’s featured guest

Matt LeKrey founded Remo Health following his deeply personal experience as a caregiver for his father. In his role as Chief Product Officer, he leads the development of Remo’s innovative and transformative approach to dementia healthcare. Prior to Remo, Matt served as a founding member and software engineer at Gliimpse, Inc. (acquired by Apple), a health product designer at Apple, Inc., and Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Anthem Digital Care Delivery. At Apple, he contributed to the development of Clinical Health Records on iOS and Provider Tools at AC Wellness. His tenure at Anthem welcomed the successful launch of the Asthma Digital Study in collaboration with Apple Health and UC Irvine.

Learn more about Matt by visiting his LinkedIn and the Remo Health website.

About Remo’s host Dr. Emily Silverman

Dr. Emily Silverman is an internal-medicine physician, Assistant Volunteer Professor of Medicine at UCSF. She is the creator and host of The Nocturnists, an award-winning medical storytelling program that has uplifted the voices of more than 450 clinicians since 2016 through its podcast and live performances. Her work has been supported by a MacDowell fellowship and widely published in numerous publications including JAMA, The New York Times, and NPR. Learn more about Emily by visiting her website.

Connect with us

Learn more about Remo Health and how we’re delivering better dementia care to patients and those who care for them. Subscribe to the Remo Health newsletter.

Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Bluesky for the latest information, news, and guidance on all things #dementia and #brainhealth.

Have a question or a topic you’d like to hear more about? Email us at [email protected].

The information in this podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not the practice of medicine or any profession. It is not intended to be medical advice and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.