If you work with older adults, you’ve probably heard this question more times than you can count: “What can I do to keep my brain healthy?” The Global Council on Brain Health (GCBH) offers some of the most trustworthy, plain-English answers. Convened by AARP (with partners like Age UK), the GCBH brings together international experts […]

What happens to a person’s sense of self when memory begins to fray? I often describe dementia as a fragmentation of self. And yet, even within that fragmentation, traces of identity persist- it is our job to look for the pieces and honor the person. For William Utermohlen, famous artist, his symptoms began with difficulty […]

What happens to a person’s sense of self when memory begins to fray? I often describe dementia as a fragmentation of self. And yet, even within that fragmentation, traces of identity persist- it is our job to look for the pieces and honor the person. For William Utermohlen, famous artist, his symptoms began with difficulty […]

  Suicide Risk Spikes After a Dementia Diagnosis: Here’s Why Receiving a dementia diagnosis changes everything. For many people, it brings relief—finally, there’s an explanation for the confusion, memory lapses, or personality changes that have been happening. But for others, especially in the first months after hearing the words “you have dementia”, it can trigger […]

  When we think about trauma, we often imagine its effects on younger people—children, teens, or adults in midlife. But what about people 65 and older? The truth is trauma does not simply vanish with time. In fact, trauma among older adults is often undetected, untreated, and misunderstood. As a clinical geropsychologist, I’ve worked with […]

When an older loved one completes alcohol detox and enters a medical rehab program, families often feel a swirl of emotions: relief, hope, fear, and sometimes overwhelm. You may find yourself asking: How do we best support them right now? What’s really causing their symptoms—withdrawal, depression, or dementia? How do we help them return to […]

When an older loved one completes alcohol detox and enters a medical rehab program, families often feel a swirl of emotions: relief, hope, fear, and sometimes overwhelm. You may find yourself asking: How do we best support them right now? What’s really causing their symptoms—withdrawal, depression, or dementia? How do we help them return to […]

What does it really take to build a national movement for mental health and aging? If you’ve ever had a big dream or felt a deep calling to change the world—especially for older adults—you know that the path to change is rarely straight, easy, or predictable. In this post, I’m inviting you behind the scenes […]

Up to 1 in 5 older adults lives with a mental health condition like depression, anxiety, or substance use disorder. And yet—most go undiagnosed and untreated. Why? Because too often we only focus on the body and neglect the mind and soul. The truth is: mental health concerns are just as treatable in later life […]

Loneliness and social isolation can be as damaging to our health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. While it may surprise some, research shows that older adults have lower rates of loneliness than younger people, but the impact on their well-being is far more profound​. Loneliness—a subjective feeling of being alone—and isolation—the objective lack of […]

Loneliness and social isolation can be as damaging to our health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. While it may surprise some, research shows that older adults have lower rates of loneliness than younger people, but the impact on their well-being is far more profound​. Loneliness—a subjective feeling of being alone—and isolation—the objective lack of […]

20-22%  of older adults live with a mental health condition such as depression, anxiety, substance use disorder, or a dementia-related disorder. Yet, the vast majority go undetected and untreated. Why? A complex web of misconceptions, systemic failures, and structural barriers keeps older adults from getting the care they need.   Mental health conditions are just […]

What kind of world are we living in where a person who needs assisted living—someone with dementia, functional disabilities, or frailty—can be detained by ICE?   A recent email from Lori Smetanka, Executive Director of the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care, revealed that a resident from a small assisted living facility was taken […]

As I write this the wildfires in Los Angeles have displaced more than 100,000 people, and destroyed homes and communities. I’ve heard heartbreaking stories of older adults and people with disabilities unable to leave their homes and evacuate safely. While, at the same time, others have. Imagine you’re working with older survivors of this traumatic […]

As I write this the wildfires in Los Angeles have displaced more than 100,000 people, and destroyed homes and communities. I’ve heard heartbreaking stories of older adults and people with disabilities unable to leave their homes and evacuate safely. While, at the same time, others have. Imagine you’re working with older survivors of this traumatic […]

As I write this, wildfires and windstorms are ravaging parts of Los Angeles. Having grown up not far from these areas, I’ve been deeply moved by the stories of resilience and support within communities, especially among people looking out for their neighbors and older adults.   Stories like this one highlight how vital it is […]