How do you teach about the 3Ds? Delirium, Dementia and Depression
July 4, 2012
In this and upcoming posts, we will review some educational products in both geriatrics and palliative care. For many of…
What is Meaningful Interaction?
June 26, 2012
I recently cared for a 96 year old woman who was rehospitalized for a recurrent infection (identifying details altered to…
The longer you live, the longer it will take to die
May 22, 2012
Age is one of the great modern adventures, a technological marvel—we’re given several more youthfulish decades if we take care…
Aricept 23 – Another Victory for Marketing Over Patients
March 23, 2012
“What is the difference between 20 and 23? If you said three, you are off by millions—of dollars in sales,…
Glen Campbell: Still Performing with Alzheimer’s
February 14, 2012
My neighbor told me recently about a musician named Glen Campbell who is still performing despite Alzheimer’s dementia. This shows…
Notes from the Field: Chiapas Round 2
February 13, 2012
I am fortunate to be back at the Hospital San Carlos, in Chiapas, Mexico for two weeks. I am again…
Copyrights and Copylefts in Medicine: The Case of the Wayward MMSE
December 29, 2011
The Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) is the most widely used cognitive screening test. Many have attributed this to the relative…
Treating Pain to Reduce Behavioral Disturbances in Dementia
December 5, 2011
There have been a lot of pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions proposed for the all too common behavioral complications of dementia…
Befuddlement at Hospital Discharge
September 12, 2011
Hospitalizations present a host of dangers to an older patient, and perhaps one of the most hazardous parts of hospitalization…
Are Antidepressants Ineffective for the Treatment of Depression in Dementia?
August 4, 2011
Depression is the most common mood disorder in elderly individuals with Alzheimer disease, with prevalence rates somewhere between 15% to…