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. A serious medical illness (i.e., an infection) usually triggers...
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 disease is damage to the heart. The majority of elders who experience...
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 cures. The pitch usually goes something like this: Buy my magic beans. No...
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 types of dementia is called “Lewy body...
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. Dementia can be challenging and frustrating, but it does not mean the end of...
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 not paying her bills. She’s always been tidy,...
