In primary care we are tasked with treating multiple conditions, therefore many of our patients are on numerous medications. Some of these medications are prescribed to deal with side effects of other medications. Often clinicians may not be aware that they are treating preventable drug side effects and wind up prescribing even more medications. This causes a cascade effect that results in significant polypharmacy. Join us while we discuss this common phenomenon and strategies to minimize or avoid it entirely.

Lack of in-person social encounters and out-of-the-house activities are difficult for anyone but can be especially detrimental for our elderly patients and family. In this podcast, geriatrician Lee Lindquist, MD, will discuss ways to help older adults during shelter-in-place and social distancing. She will review methods to stimulate cognition, encourage socialization, and describe activities to do from a distance. She will discuss pointers for maintaining physical and emotional well-being in this population, which can apply to any period where an older adult is homebound.

Join us as we discuss falls: a clinical issue that warrants regular assessment in adults over the age of 65.

This podcast can help you to differentiate between normal age-related memory decline, mild cognitive impairment, and dementia so that you can diagnose your patients with memory loss correctly and provide them with the best management for their condition.

Falls in the older population are associated with significant morbidity and mortality yet little evidence exists to determine best practices for prevention. Join us while we discuss a recent RCT that examined Tai Chi versus more traditional exercising in older individuals and its impact on reduction in falls for those at greatest risk.

Genetic and lifestyle risk factors have been implicated in the development of Alzheimer’s dementia (AD) as well as other subtypes of dementia. Specific genetic protein mutations have been identified in individuals who develop AD. There is also an abundant amount of evidence that suggests the risk of dementia can be reduced by avoiding tobacco smoking, limiting alcohol consumption, keeping physically active, and maintaining a healthy diet. Join our discussion of a recent study that shows a healthy lifestyle is associated with decreased risk of dementia in those with both low and high genetic risk.

This episode focuses on older adults and caregivers/partners in relation to their intimacy and sexuality for patients experiencing changes in cognition.

Join us as we discuss deprescribing; the provider-supervised process of discontinuing inappropriate medication(s). We will review minimizing risk, improving quality of life and maximizing patient-centered care.

Polypharmacy results in medication overload for many patients with chronic diseases; it is especially prevalent in the elderly. A recent report from the Lown Institute refers to this as ‘An Epidemic of Too Much Medication.’ We will review the data behind this claim and discuss how clinicians can work to minimize such problems.

Research and advancement increase the capability of medicine to provide complex care. Technology can keep patients alive in states that they might not desire. Today, clinicians are responsible for (1) anticipating future care needs and (2) guiding treatments as patients become more ill and less functional. An essential tool in the clinician armamentarium, advance care planning is a skill set that must be honed to ensure that patients receive care both consistent with their informed preferences and appropriate to their prognosis. Advance care planning includes serial discussion with patients about clinical circumstances and prognosis, incorporates specific tools, requires coordination among the team of clinicians caring for a patient across venues of care, and may be facilitated by advance care planning structures. Sometimes the process also requires setting limits and addressing maladaptive coping. Building strong relationships with patients and families, and a consistent focus on goals of care is key to high quality treatment for the complex patient and achieving optimal end of life care.

Our patients are aging before our very eyes. A 72-year-old patient who used to come bounding down the hallway, is now, fifteen years later, using a walker and taking ten minutes to enter the exam room. We are facing questions from concerned adult children about whether their parents -- your patients -- are safe living, driving, or managing finances alone. Participants will review the factors that impact aging-in-place, learn about office-based tests evaluating a senior’s independence, receive information regarding available support resources, and gain insights on navigating transitions to long-term communities. The lecture will also discuss the options in long-term care living and innovative alternatives in the long-term care field.

This talk will focus on the normal aging process in older adults. Specifically, the faculty will discuss hormonal changes, including changes in estrogen and testosterone levels. The faculty will also review physiologic changes and speak to how age impacts the circadian pattern of body temperature, cortisol levels, and sleep. Following this session, you will have a full picture of possible treatments—as well as their risks and benefits—for common symptoms associated with age-related hormonal changes.