Momentum Discussions Podcast
Discussions that stimulate dialogue on trends with great momentum to advance gerontology.
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Agitation in Alzheimer’s Disease: Reflections of a Care Partner
Agitation can be described as increased, often undirected, motor activity, restlessness, aggressiveness, and emotional distress. It may include nonaggressive behaviors such as pacing, repetitious movements, and general restlessness, or it may manifest as physically or verbally aggressive behaviors. It is one of the most distressing behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia, and between 30% and 80% of people living with dementia, depending on the setting, experience agitation. Because of the wide-ranging potential negative impacts associated with agitation in Alzheimer’s disease (AAD), a person-centered, individualized approach to address AAD is a must. In this Momentum Discussion Podcast episode, we provide insights into AAD from the perspective of a professional caregiver and a family member whose loved one lives with AAD. They share how the condition impacts the person with Alzheimer’s disease and those around them and offer strategies to prevent and address troubling behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia associated with AAD.
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 Host: Jennifer Pettis, MS, RN, CNE Director of Strategic Alliances, The Gerontological Society of America |
This podcast episode is supported by Otsuka. Content was developed by The Gerontological Society of America (GSA).
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Cognitive Aging and Optimizing Cognitive Health
According to the McKnight Brain Research Foundation website, “there is growing hope and expectation that it’s possible to maintain cognitive health later in life, allowing people to age independently and enjoy the benefits of a fuller life.” During this Momentum Discussion Podcast episode, Allison Brashear, MD, MBA, a member of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees and the University at Buffalo’s Vice President for Health Sciences and Dean of the Jacobs School, and Angelika Schlanger, PhD, executive director of the Foundation, will offer insights into brain health, cognitive health, and cognitive aging. They discuss how normal cognitive aging differs from changes in cognitive function due to dementia. Finally, they offer insights into how individuals can take steps to promote their brain health at any age.
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Host: Jennifer Pettis, MS, RN, CNE Director of Strategic Alliances, The Gerontological Society of America |
This podcast episode is supported by Genentech, Lilly, Eisai, and Otsuka. Content was developed by The Gerontological Society of America (GSA).
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Why an Early Diagnosis of Dementia Matters
Early detection of dementia leads to better outcomes for individuals with dementia and their care partners. It allows them to potentially benefit from a variety of care interventions, make decisions about their care, and tap into community resources to enhance their quality of life and function. Despite this, the Alzheimer’s Association reported that neither older adults nor primary care practitioners routinely raise brain health issues – particularly in the case that an older adult has signs of mild cognitive impairment. In this GSA Momentum Discussion Podcast episode, Bonnie Burman, president of the Ohio Council for Cognitive Health, discusses barriers to kickstarting brain health conversations and early diagnosis of dementia, offers strategies to overcome them, and highlights how care providers and other communities of interest can use the KAER Toolkit for Brain Health to improve early detection of dementia.
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This podcast episode is supported by Genentech, Lilly, Eisai, and Otsuka. Content was developed by The Gerontological Society of America (GSA).
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Improving Dementia Care Practices - A Health System Approach
In their special report, Alzheimer’s Detection in the Primary Care Setting: Paving a Path Forward, the Alzheimer’s Association reported that despite a strong belief among older adults that brief cognitive assessments are important and that early detection of cognitive problems is beneficial, only half are being assessed for cognitive decline, and much fewer receive routine assessments. The Association’s findings about dementia care practices in primary care along with the ever-growing number of Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias highlight the need to take a systems approach to improving dementia care. In this Momentum Discussion Podcast episode, Amy Boehm, senior health systems director for the Alzheimer's Association discusses the urgent need to improve dementia care practices in primary care, how The GSA KAER Toolkit for Primary Care Teams addresses an unmet need for primary care providers, and shares how the Alzheimer’s Association Health System Initiative can support them in implementing practice change to improve dementia care. Amy also offers strategies to get started with changing practice in any care setting.
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This podcast episode is supported by Genentech, Lilly, Eisai, and Otsuka. Content was developed by The Gerontological Society of America (GSA).
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Combating Bias to Promote Comprehensive Obesity Care for Older Adults
People with obesity often experience bias due to their weight which can negatively impact their overall health and well-being. Older adults may have faced weight bias for many years, including from their healthcare providers, their families, and themselves. In addition to the weight bias being prevalent in healthcare, it also permeates places of employment, educational institutions, the media, and society overall. During this Momentum Discussion Podcast episode, Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford discusses weight bias and its negative consequences. She shares examples of how weight bias exists in healthcare and other areas and provides insights into how a person’s cultural identity impacts how they might experience weight bias. Finally, she offers solutions to this significant issue, including steps that healthcare professionals can take to eliminate weight bias and provide a comfortable environment of care for people with the chronic disease of obesity
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This podcast episode is supported by Novo Nordisk. Content was developed by The Gerontological Society of America (GSA).
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Kickstarting Body Size Conversations in Older Adults with Obesity
Kickstarting the obesity conversation with older adults requires an understanding of the pathophysiology of overweight and obesity in conjunction with an appreciation for communication concerns that affect conversations with older adults. In this podcast episode, Dr. Jason Lofton of Lofton Family Clinic and Wellness in De Queen, AR discusses important issues addressed in Step One of The GSA KAER Toolkit for the Management of Obesity in Older Adults: Kickstart the Obesity Conversation. He shares insights into how he and his team set the stage to engage in successful, motivating conversations about body size with their patients. Dr. Lofton discusses overcoming common roadblocks to body size conversations, preparing for shared decision making and goal setting, and how issues such as culture, race/ethnicity, and age influence conversations about body size.
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This podcast episode is supported by Novo Nordisk. Content was developed by The Gerontological Society of America (GSA).
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Enhancing Early Detection of Cognitive Impairment
Early detection of dementia is vital, and it allows people living with dementia to receive comprehensive care to address symptoms, build a care team, participate in supportive services, access community supports, and potentially access disease-modifying treatments or enroll in clinical trials. With early detection of cognitive impairment and disclosure of the diagnosis to the patient, the individual with the condition and their care partners can set systems in place that allow them to achieve their highest practicable level of function and quality of life. In this episode, Dr. Joshua Chodosh shares strategies to kickstart the brain health conversation, describes how he has engaged the whole healthcare team in the conversation, and highlights approaches aimed at early detection of cognitive impairment in the primary care setting. Dr. Chodosh also underscores how providers can use tools in The GSA KAER Toolkit for Primary Care Teams to enhance their early detection efforts and help to improve outcomes for older adults with cognitive impairment and their care partners.
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This podcast episode is supported by Eisai. Content was developed by The Gerontological Society of America (GSA).
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Risk-Based Strategies for Referrals to Community Services for Older Adults with Dementia and their Care Partners
A person living with dementia and their care partner often have needs for a variety of community supports that enables them to achieve their greatest potential function and quality of life. This podcast episode addresses the fourth step of the KAER Framework: Refer for Community Services. Our guests discuss how interdisciplinary care teams in primary care can use risk-based strategies to refer older adults with dementia and their care partners to appropriate community services, and they share strategies for success that they and their interdisciplinary colleagues use in the Emory Integrated Memory Care Clinic – a nurse-led primary care practice for people living with dementia.
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Host: Jennifer Pettis, MS, RN, CNE Director of Strategic Alliances, The Gerontological Society of America |
This podcast episode is supported by Genentech, Lilly, Otsuka, and Eisai. Content was developed by The Gerontological Society of America (GSA).
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Reimbursement as a Pathway for Quality Dementia Care
Appropriate reimbursement for detection, evaluation, and diagnosis of dementia as well as for care planning and ongoing care of individuals with cognitive impairment and dementia is possible. In fact, pathways to appropriate reimbursement well align with evidence-based guidelines for care and expectations around quality. To ensure well-coordinated quality dementia care, the primary provider and other members of the interdisciplinary care team spend a great deal of time outside the standard primary care visit, and reimbursement for this time is available. In this podcast, our guests share their insights into the documentation, infrastructure, and processes necessary to capture appropriate reimbursement for quality dementia care. They also discuss how using reimbursement as a pathway for quality dementia care supports high-functioning teams, incentivizes care teams to provide care that aligns with guidelines, and prevents the vital work of the entire interdisciplinary team from being invisible.
Additional Handout: Podcast Discussion Points
GSA developed this podcast and the associated Additional Handout: Podcast Discussion Points in December 2022. It is important to note that payment policies change often and vary by payor, and listeners should seek payor-specific guidance around billing for services.
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Host: Jennifer Pettis, MS, RN, CNE Director of Strategic Alliances, The Gerontological Society of America |
This podcast episode is supported by Genentech, Lilly, Otsuka, and Eisai. Content was developed by The Gerontological Society of America (GSA).
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Culturally Congruent Care for Hispanic Older Adults with Obesity
It is vital that health care professionals supporting older adults on their weight loss journey recognize the importance of cultural differences as well as differences in risk based on age, race, or ethnicity. Cultural preferences and views about larger body sizes should also be respected. In this podcast episode, Dr. Rodolfo Galindo, an expert review panelist of the GSA KAER Toolkit on the Management of Obesity in Older Adults, highlights unique cultural beliefs and practices that are prevalent among individuals from the Hispanic community and discusses how providers must recognize and factor them into conversations about weight and obesity. He also notes how providers may provide culturally congruent care while using the GSA KAER Framework to kickstart the discussion of weight with older adults and their families; assess for the presence of altered body fat amount, distribution, and/ or function; evaluate treatment options; and refer patients to community resources.
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This podcast episode is supported by Novo Nordisk. Content was developed by The Gerontological Society of America (GSA).
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Nutritional Needs of Older Adults with Obesity
We all experience normal physiological and metabolic changes as we age, including loss of muscle mass, that can impact functioning and quality of life. When combined with obesity or overweight, these changes can be magnified, causing even greater functional losses and decreases in quality of life. An all-too-often approach of simply limiting caloric intake to lose weight may further heighten these risks. As such, older adults seeking to lose weight need a balanced diet that will support loss of excess adiposity while preserving muscle. As vital members of the patient care team, dietitians can support older adults seeking to lose weight to ensure that their nutrient needs are met while on their weight loss journey. Additionally, these professionals can support the older adult to address social, environmental, and economic risk factors that often go unrecognized yet play an enormous role in healthy dietary patterns. In this podcast episode Dr. Kathryn N. Porter Starr, an expert review panelist of the GSA KAER Toolkit on the Management of Obesity in Older Adults, explores complex issues around dietary needs of older adults, including the importance of assessing for and addressing sarcopenia, and highlights how comprehensive nutritional care can support function, independence, and quality of life while enabling the older adult to reach and maintain their desired body weight.
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This podcast episode is supported by Novo Nordisk. Content was developed by The Gerontological Society of America (GSA).
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Cellular Aging and the Care of Older Patients
Researchers have identified several molecular pathways at a cellular level, including within the mitochondria, which appear to influence both aging and age-related chronic disease. These cellular changes associated with aging are cumulatively referred to as age-associated cellular decline, or AACD. Identifying AACD risk factors and intervening with cellular nutrients earlier in the aging process, before major mobility disabilities and disease driven limitations emerge, could help improve overall healthy aging. A set of three podcast discussions from the panel of the What’s Hot on Cellular Nutrition and Its Influence on Age-Associated Cellular Decline, explores various elements of AACD and the care of older adults. This episode explores how to apply what is currently known about AACD to the care of patients and older adults in clinical practice.
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This podcast series was developed by The Gerontological Society of America (GSA). This program has received a grant from Nestle Health Science.
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Mitochondria and Aging
Researchers have identified several molecular pathways at a cellular level, including within the mitochondria, which appear to influence both aging and age-related chronic disease. These cellular changes associated with aging are cumulatively referred to as age-associated cellular decline, or AACD. Identifying AACD risk factors and intervening with cellular nutrients earlier in the aging process, before major mobility disabilities and disease driven limitations emerge, could help improve overall healthy aging. A set of three podcast discussions from the panel of the What’s Hot on Cellular Nutrition and Its Influence on Age-Associated Cellular Decline, explores various elements of AACD and the care of older adults. This episode focuses specifically on what researchers are learning about the importance of mitochondrial function.
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This podcast series was developed by The Gerontological Society of America (GSA). This program has received a grant from Nestle Health Science.
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Nutrition and Cellular Aging
Researchers have identified several molecular pathways at a cellular level, including within the mitochondria, which appear to influence both aging and age-related chronic disease. These cellular changes associated with aging are cumulatively referred to as age-associated cellular decline, or AACD. Identifying AACD risk factors and intervening with cellular nutrients earlier in the aging process, before major mobility disabilities and disease driven limitations emerge, could help improve overall healthy aging. A set of three podcast discussions from the panel of the What’s Hot on Cellular Nutrition and Its Influence on Age-Associated Cellular Decline, explores various elements of AACD and the care of older adults. This episode focuses on the nutritional interventions that have the potential to extend human health span, as well as those that may slow age associated cellular decision and may impact longevity.
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This podcast series was developed by The Gerontological Society of America (GSA). This program has received a grant from Nestle Health Science.
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Successful Conversations with Older Adults about Sleep Disturbances
This episode addresses the need for effective communication with older adults who have sleep disturbances. As a condition that is underdiagnosed and undertreated, it is important to understand how to address this issue with older people to ensure that the right treatments are provided, and that health and well-being are attained.
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This podcast episode was designed by The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) along with our clinical partner, the Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association. The program has received an educational grant from Eisai Pharmaceuticals.
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Understanding the Vaccine Development Process
Flu Vaccine for Older Adults: A Decision Tool
The process of bringing a vaccine to market takes extensive research and safety monitoring. Dr. Gordon Douglas explains the steps from preclinical studies to vaccine licensure, and discusses his own experience developing vaccines at a major manufacturer for 30 years. He also shares lessons learned from clinical trials during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the importance of participant diversity.
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This podcast episode is supported by Seqirus. Content was developed by The Gerontological Society of America (GSA).
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Applying Risk Communication Models to Immunization Discussions
Flu Vaccine for Older Adults: A Decision Tool
Communicating the risks and benefits of immunization can be challenging, as the language of science may not always be well understood by the public. Dr. Aaron Scherer shares his research on risk communication and infectious disease, what we can learn from outbreak communication with older adults, and his thoughts on future opportunities in the field.
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This podcast episode is supported by Seqirus. Content was developed by The Gerontological Society of America (GSA).
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Integrating Immunization in Long-Term Care
Flu Vaccine for Older Adults: A Decision Tool
A routine immunization program in long-term care facilities can protect residents who are most at risk of poor outcomes if they contract a vaccine-preventable disease, however systemic challenges contribute to stagnant vaccination rates among residents and low vaccination rates among staff. In this episode, Dr. Barbara Resnick discusses her work in improving immunization rates in long-term care, using behavior motivation techniques to encourage staff and residents to get vaccinated, and what she sees as opportunities for future researchers and practitioners.
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This podcast episode is supported by Seqirus. Content was developed by The Gerontological Society of America (GSA).
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Dementia-Related Psychosis in Long-Term Care: Series Part 3
Individuals with dementia-related psychosis experience worse outcomes than those who do not have psychosis, including but not being limited to accelerated time to being admitted to a long-term care facility and accelerated mortality. The manifestation of hallucinations and delusions in residents with dementia can also prove challenging for long-term care staff. Dr. Chad Worz discusses how appropriate documentation of a diagnosis of dementia-related psychosis and related care interventions are an important part of delivering individualized care for residents.
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For more information on dementia-related psychosis, see GSA’s February 2021 White Paper, Dementia-Related Psychosis: Strategies to Address Barriers to Care Across Settings.
This podcast episode is supported by Acadia Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Content was developed by The Gerontological Society of America (GSA).
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Dementia-Related Psychosis in Primary Care: Series Part 2
Primary care providers (PCPs) are ideally positioned to recognize, diagnose, and provide care planning for individuals with dementia who experience psychosis. Dr. Alexis Eastman discusses the important role of PCPs in team-based approaches to care and shares examples of innovative healthcare delivery models that can support PCPs in addressing dementia-related psychosis.
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For more information on dementia-related psychosis, see GSA’s February 2021 White Paper, Dementia-Related Psychosis: Strategies to Address Barriers to Care Across Settings.
This podcast episode is supported by Acadia Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Content was developed by The Gerontological Society of America (GSA).
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Diagnosing Dementia-Related Psychosis: Series Part 1
Dementia-related psychosis, defined as hallucinations and delusions in individuals with dementia, is a distinct neuropsychiatric symptom. Dementia-related psychosis differs from psychosis that originates from delirium or a pre-existing psychotic disorder (e.g., schizophrenia). Dr. Gary Small explains the challenges to and approaches for detecting and diagnosing these symptoms.
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For more information on dementia-related psychosis, see GSA’s February 2021 White Paper, Dementia-Related Psychosis: Strategies to Address Barriers to Care Across Settings.
This podcast episode is supported by Acadia Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Content was developed by The Gerontological Society of America (GSA).
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Understanding Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Influenza, and COVID-19
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes 177,000 hospitalizations and 14,000 deaths in older adults each year. Those over 65, adults with chronic heart or lung disease, and adults with weakened immune systems are particularly at risk. Yet RSV remains underdiagnosed. This podcast was originally recorded as a webinar, where Drs. Robin Jump and Kim answer questions about RSV and its impact on older adults; the challenges of distinguishing between RSV, influenza, and COVID-19; and ways to keep older adults healthy with so many respiratory viruses circulating, particularly in a long-term care facility.
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 Host: Elizabeth Sobczyk, MSW, MPH Director, Strategic Alliances, The Gerontological Society of America |
For more information, visit GSA’s National Adult Vaccination Program website.
This podcast episode is supported by Johnson and Johnson Health Systems, Inc. Content was developed by The Gerontological Society of America (GSA).
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Understanding HIV in Older Adults: Part 2
Advances in medicine mean the number of older adults living with HIV/AIDS is increasing, which also presents new challenges to both aging service providers and HIV/AIDS service providers. In Part 2 of this series on Understanding HIV in Older Adults, Drs. Meredith Greene (Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Geriatrics at the University of California San Francisco; American Academy of HIV Medicine Specialist) and Molly Perkins (Associate Professor in the School of Medicine and Graduate Faculty of Emory Sociology) discuss the intersection of geriatric medicine and HIV specialists, as well as HIV prevention in older adults, medical, and psychosocial challenges for those who are aging with HIV, and the experience of those living with HIV during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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This podcast episode is supported by ViiV Healthcare. Content was developed by The Gerontological Society of America (GSA).
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Understanding HIV in Older Adults: Part 1
Advances in medicine mean the number of older adults living with HIV/AIDS is increasing, which also presents new challenges to both aging service providers and HIV/AIDS service providers. In Part 1 of this series on Understanding HIV in Older Adults, Drs. Mark Brennan-Ing (Senior Research Scientist, Brookdale Center for Healthy Aging, Hunter College, CUNY) and Molly Perkins (Associate Professor, School of Medicine and Graduate Faculty of Emory Sociology, Emory University) discuss social networks, isolation, and social supports among older adults living with HIV; resilience as a way to address stigma; the diversity of those who are living with HIV; internalized ageism; and the use of crisis competence to learn from HIV survivors during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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This podcast episode is supported by ViiV Healthcare. Content was developed by The Gerontological Society of America (GSA).
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Understanding COPD in Older Adults
Dr. Melissa Batchelor (Director of the Center for Aging and Health and Humanities and Associate Professor at George Washington University School of Nursing) speaks with Dr. Barbara Yawn about her journey to becoming Chief Clinical Officer of the COPD Foundation. Dr. Yawn shares the misconceptions about COPD in older adults and challenges that lead to underdiagnosis. She discusses treatment options – both pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic – and the importance of an interdisciplinary team in treating COPD.
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For a quick reference, download the fact sheet Understanding COPD in Older Adults.
For more information on COPD, see GSA’s recent What’s Hot publication: Recognizing and Treating COPD in Older Adults.
This podcast episode is supported by GlaxoSmithKline. Content was developed by The Gerontological Society of America (GSA).
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Obesity and Its Disproportionate Impact on Racial and Ethnic Minority Populations
The vexing problem of the increasing weight of Americans has grown to epidemic proportions in recent decades. As millions of people enter older adulthood, they bring with them added pounds and the challenges of excessive body fat. Now recognized as a chronic medical condition, obesity is associated with serious health problems that increase morbidity and mortality, stigmatization at work and in social settings, decreased physical function, lower health-related quality of life, and increased direct and indirect health care costs. When combined with common aging-related challenges, obesity can create complex clinical situations without easy solutions.
In this episode, Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford (Obesity Medicine Physician Scientist at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School) speaks with Dr. Tamara A. Baker (Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill), addressing the issue of obesity and specifically how the prevalence of obesity is different in communities of color versus majority communities in the United States. Dr. Stanford reviews the different factors that contribute to the high burden of obesity in racial and ethnic minority populations, why there appears to be worsened outcomes in patients who have obesity and COVID-19, and strategies that can be utilized to address excess weight in communities with high prevalence of obesity, especially in older adults. The interview closes out with a review of barriers to receiving treatment and an overview of legislation has been proposed to help address the epidemic of obesity in our communities.
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This podcast episode is supported by Novo Nordisk. Content was developed by The Gerontological Society of America (GSA).
