University of Wisconsin–Madison

Tag: Aging

Aging in Place: Addressing the Challenges of Living Alone with Dementia

Posted on

It’s estimated that 4.3 million older adults across the United States live alone with cognitive impairment. How do these individuals navigate the challenges and concerns that arise due to these memory and thinking changes, and what recommendations are there to support them as they continue living independently? Dr. Elena Portacolone joins Dementia Matters to discuss her research focused on identifying these challenges and developing equitable policies and programs for older adults living alone with cognitive impairment in the United States and worldwide.

Guest: Elena Portacolone, PhD, MBA, MPH, principal investigator, Living Alone with Cognitive Impairment Project, professor of sociology, Institute for Health & Aging, Pepper Center Scholar, Division of Geriatric Medicine, University of California San Francisco (UCSF)

Bioenergetics: How Mitochondria Affects Alzheimer’s Disease and Aging

Posted on

It’s generally known that mitochondria are the powerhouse of cells, but did you know they can play a significant role in aging processes? Through the field of bioenergetics, scientists are looking to study how changes in mitochondria affect us as we age and their connection to Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Russell Swerdlow joins the podcast to discuss the field of bioenergetics and how mitochondria can impact Alzheimer’s disease and other aspects of aging.

Guest: Russell Swerdlow, MD, director, Kansas Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, director, Heartland Center for Mitochondrial Medicine, professor of neurology, University of Kansas

New Research Shifts Thinking on Metabolism and Aging

Posted on

There are many common beliefs about metabolism. Perhaps you’ve heard that a person’s metabolism slows around middle age, or that a woman’s metabolism is slower than a man’s. However widespread these beliefs are, recent research from the journal Science has found that these conceptions of metabolism are wrong. In a groundbreaking study, researchers have found that metabolism goes through four key phases over our lives, only beginning to slow around age 60. This, among other findings, are now changing how we think about human physiology and how we think about aging. Breaking down this new research and his perspective article on the findings, Dr. Rhoads describes our shifting understandings of metabolism and how it impacts chronic diseases like Alzheimer’s disease as we age.

Guest: Tim Rhoads, PhD, assistant scientist, Rozalyn Anderson laboratory, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

You Are What You Eat: Study of Diet and Brain Health Shows Cognitive Benefits from Cheese, Wine and Lamb

Posted on

A recent study of nearly 1,800 participants from the UK Biobank found that three dietary elements — cheese, wine, and lamb — may improve long-term cognitive outcomes in aging adults. Dr. Auriel Willette, assistant professor of food science and human nutrition at Iowa State University, joins the podcast to discuss these new findings linking diet and cognitive changes. In November 2020, Willette published a study in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease titled, “Genetic Factors of Alzheimer’s Disease Modulate How Diet is Associated with Long-Term Cognitive Trajectories: A UK Biobank Study,” where he and his team studied the effects of particular foods on a person’s brain health over time. As well as the findings surrounding cheese, wine, and lamb, they found that limiting salt intake was good for the brain, especially for those at risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Discussing the field of nutritional research, his prior work studying diet and brain health, and how these findings impact other recommended diets, Willette provides insight into how our current diets can impact our health and cognitive abilities later in life, allowing us to make better choices for the future.

Guest: Auriel Willette, PhD, associate professor of food science and human nutrition, Iowa State University

Dentistry and Dementia: The Importance of Caring for Oral Health

Posted on

Elisa Ghezzi, DDS, PhD, joins the podcast to discuss the importance of maintaining oral health throughout one’s life, and especially as one grows older. Discussing the effects of oral health on our systemic health, oral health’s connection to dysphagia, and how caregivers can help dementia patients care for their teeth, Dr. Ghezzi provides insight on how vital it is to care for our oral health as we age.

Guest: Elisa Ghezzi, DDS, PhD, adjunct clinical assistant professor, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, provider, Voiage Portable Dentistry

Poetry and Memory: A Poem by Dr. Fabu Carter

Posted on

In this special holiday bonus episode, we are joined by poet laureate, writer, and senior outreach specialist, Dr. Fabu Carter, to discuss the impact of poetry on memory loss and a reading of her poem “For Our Beloved Elders with Memory Loss.”

Guest: Fabu Carter, PhD, MA, Senior Outreach Specialist, University of Wisconsin of Medicine and Public Health

Simple Steps to Reduce Fall Risk among Older Adults

Posted on

Falls are the leading injury related cause of emergency room visits, and people with dementia experience falls at about twice the rate of other older adults. But falls are not an inevitable part of aging, and balance and strength training have been proven to reduce fall risk. Our guest joins us to talk about fall risk in older adults and steps patients and caregivers can take to help reduce falls.

Guest: Barbara Fischer, PhD, neuropsychologist at the Milo C. Huempfner VA Heath Care Clinic

Bank Supports Aging Customers with Dementia Friendly Training for Its Employees

Posted on

Missteps with money management is an early warning sign of dementia, and aging customers are often targets of financial scams and abuse. This week’s guest spearheaded dementia friendly training across all branches of the bank she works for in hopes of supporting and protecting aging customers. In this podcast episode, learn about River Valley Bank’s Dementia Friendly program, the type of training employees completed, and how bank customers and communities reacted to the initiative.

Guest: Rhonda Lewis, River Valley Bank

SuperAgers: Who They Are and What They Can Tell Us about Alzheimer’s Disease

Posted on

SuperAgers are people over age 80 who have the memory and thinking abilities of someone in their 50s. This week, Dr. Emily Rogalski discusses the science of SuperAging and how examining SuperAgers’ brains can help us learn about Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Guest: Emily Rogalski, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Associate Director at Mesulam Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer’s Disease Center in Chicago

Identification and Treatment of Swallowing Disorders in Older Adults

Posted on

As we age, swallowing foods and liquids can become harder to do. When someone has trouble swallowing, it is defined as dysphagia. Dr. Nicole Pulia discusses dysphagia and its signs, effects, treatments, and relation to Alzheimer’s disease.

Guest: Nicole Pulia, PhD, CCC-SLP, Assistant Professor of Geriatrics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health