Dementia Episodes

Send us Fan Mail In this insightful interview, Sue Lloyd-Davies discusses her book Pinkie’s Turnabout (Fitzroy, February 2026), inspired by her own experiences caring for a loved one with dementia and her work with children in caregiving situations. The conversation explores the emotional journey of caregiving, the importance of understanding dementia, and how families can foster open conversations about these challenges. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Pinky's Turnabout 00:54 Inspiration Beh...

Send a text In this conversation, Dr. Mia and Dr. Catherine Madison discuss the complexities of caregiving for individuals with dementia, drawing from personal experiences and professional insights. They explore the importance of understanding advanced care planning, and the vulnerability of dementia patients to health challenges. The discussion also covers legal considerations for caregivers, tools for initiating end-of-life conversations, and lifestyle changes that can enhance brain health....

Send a text Ever wonder why the news reports on Alzheimer's causes are so confusing and what's the fuss about these amyloid plaques? This conversation delves into the evolving understanding of Alzheimer's disease, highlighting the shift from traditional diagnosis of exclusion to new definition by underlying pathology. Dr. Mia explains the differences between Alzheimer's disease and dementia, the role of amyloid plaques and tau tangles, and the complexities of diagnosing and treating Alz...

Send us a text In this episode, Dr. Mia talks about the common questions that come up in memory clinic such as: Chapters 00:00 Understanding Dementia and Alzheimer's Basics 02:54 Differentiating Between Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and Dementia 06:19 Exploring Types of Dementia 11:01 Stages of Dementia Explained Support the show Video on Ask Dr. Mia YouTube channel Transcripts on www.miayangmd.com. Transcripts are automatically generated and may contain minor inaccuracies. Email: ask@miaya...

Send us a text The "Mom, You're Grounded Podcast" hosts Allison and Jennifer discuss the GUIDE program with Dr. Mia, an innovative Medicare initiative designed to support caregivers and patients through comprehensive services and respite care. Mia Yang, a geriatrician, shares her expertise and insights on GUIDE (GUiding an Improved Dementia Experience) program. Self refer: GuideAHWFB@advocatehealth.org -NC Triad Guide@advocatehealth.org- NC greater Charlotte area www.MiaYangMD.com ...

Send us a text In this episode of the Ask Dr. Mia podcast, Dr. Mia speaks with Jodi Colada, a director of caregiver outreach, about engaging activities for family caregivers of loved ones living with dementia. They discuss the challenges caregivers face in getting their loved ones to participate in activities, the importance of creating a supportive environment, and various creative expressions that can foster connection. Jodi shares practical tips, resources, and tools to help caregivers eng...

Send us a text In this episode, Dr. Mia discusses the top misconceptions surrounding dementia and Alzheimer's disease, emphasizing the importance of understanding the differences between the two, the complexities of diagnosing dementia, and the implications of early diagnosis. She also addresses the common belief that Medicare covers in-home care for dementia patients and clarifies the realities of dementia care funding. https://www.cms.gov/priorities/innovation/innovation-models/guide Chapt...

Send us a text In this heartfelt episode of the Ask Dr. Mia podcast, Dr. Mia sits down with Tamra Stokes, a transformational life coach, author, speaker, and founder of Reimagining Life Coaching. Known as The Authentic Caregiver Coach, Tamra empowers overwhelmed family caregivers to heal emotionally, rediscover themselves, and find fulfillment amid the demands of caregiving. Drawing from over 20 years as an educator and 4.5 years as the primary caregiver for her mother, Tamra brings wisdom, e...

Send us a text In this episode of Ask Dr. Mia, Rohan Ramakrishna, co-founder of Roon, discusses the innovative healthcare technology platform designed to provide patients with reliable medical information. Roon aims to bridge the gap between patients and healthcare experts, offering personalized guidance and 24/7 support. Rohan shares insights into the journey of building Roon, the importance of expert vetting, and the platform's commitment to keeping the service free for users. The con...

Send us a text In this episode of Ask Dr. Mia, host Dr. Mia Yang speaks with Josh Marquess about his family's journey in transitioning his grandmother with Alzheimer's into a memory care facility. They discuss the special bond Josh has with his grandparents, the early signs of Alzheimer's, the emotional challenges of witnessing the progression of the disease, and the difficult decision-making process regarding care options. Josh shares insights on the benefits of memory care, the importance of f...

Send us a text In this episode of the Ask Dr. Mia podcast, Dr. Mia speaks with Jeannine Bryant, a downsizing expert, about the challenges and emotional aspects of helping seniors transition to smaller living spaces. They discuss the concept of "right sizing", the importance of planning, and when to seek professional help. Jeannine shares practical tips for decluttering, navigating family dynamics, and handling crisis situations, especially for those with memory issues. The conversation emphas...

Send us a Text Message. Summary Jenny Kim, a family caregiver for her elderly parents, shares her experience managing their finances and healthcare. Her father, who has severe dementia, insists on withdrawing large amounts of cash and giving it away. Jenny has power of attorney but faces challenges with banks and bill companies. She hired a geriatric case manager to help with appointments and medical coordination. Dr. Mia suggests involving an elder law lawyer to address the financial issues. J...

In the final episode of season three, Dr. Mia reflects on her love for working with people living with dementia and their caregivers. She shares the inspiring story of a couple, Bill and Pat, who exemplify the extraordinary daily acts of caregiving. Dr. Mia discusses the importance of acknowledging, validating, and redirecting communication strategies for dementia care. She also explores the complex emotions and grief that caregivers experience and emphasizes the need for self-compassion and men...

In this episode, Dr. Mia interviews Jeff Bloomfield, an estate planning lawyer from Carolina Estate Planning, to discuss the importance of estate planning and related legal documents. They cover topics such as the difference between a trust and a will, the probate process, and the impact of Medicaid on long-term care services. They also address common issues with power of attorney and guardianship, and emphasize the importance of estate planning for everyone, regardless of their wealth. Jeff pro...

Dr. Mia talks with Caroline Prioleau, writer for the Global Brain Health Institute at University of California San Francisco's Memory & Aging Center and co-lead of the Hear/Say oral history project that collects stories from people's experiences with dementia, aging, creativity and caregiving. We talked about a new documentary called Keys Bags Names Words - about hope in dementia. Sign up for a virtual or in-person screening here. Music & disclaimer Support the show Video on Ask Dr. Mia Y...

In this episode of Ask Dr. Mia podcast, Dr. Mia talks to her colleague, neuropsychologist and memory researcher Dr. Bonnie Sachs. Dr. Bonnie Sachs is a board-certified clinical neuropsychologist who specializes in working with older adults with memory loss and other cognitive disorders. Her areas of focus, both clinically and in research, include mild cognitive impairment (MCI), Alzheimer's disease (AD), and other forms of neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's disease, Frontotemporal deme...

Returning back to Season 3 of Ask Dr. Mia Podcast talking about what is Comprehensive Dementia Care and Medicare's new program to pay for it. Health Affairs' article on Comprehensive Dementia Care: https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/payment-comprehensive-dementia-care-five-key-recommendations Medicare's GUIDE program: Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience: https://innovation.cms.gov/innovation-models/guide D-CARE Study: https://www.dcare-study.org/ Music & disclaimer Supp...

For the last episode of season 2, Dr. Mia talks about lecanemab, a monoclonal antibody against amyloid, results since the show's most popular episode on lecanemab released on 10/7/2022. Lecanemab or Clarity AD clinical trial results in New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) Death related to lecanemab, reported in Science, related to Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy Donanemab press release by Lilly Key points: 1) Aducanumab approval process eroded public's trust and careful screening for patients fo...

In this episode, Dr. Mia talks with Dr. Trey Bateman about Lewy Body dementia, unique challenges in diagnosis, different treatment options compared to Alzheimer's dementia, and his research on Mild Behavioral Impairment. Dr. James (Trey) Bateman is a behavioral neurologist at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and the Salisbury Veterans Affairs Medical Center. His clinical care is spread across both Wake Forest and the Salisbury VA, where he focuses on the evaluation and care of people w...

With the recent news of Bruce Willis' diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia, I talk with Dr. Halima Amjad about her own personal journey with her late father's FTD diagnosis as well as her professional role in dementia care and research. Dr. Halima Amjad is an assistant professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Her career as a geriatrician and health services researcher centers around people living with dementia. She cares for patients at the Johns Hopkins Memory ...

Dr. Mia talks about the newly released preliminary results of anti-amyloid drug: lecanemab, the context of this newest drug development, and more questions than answers going forward. News release of clinical trial Clarity AD (lecanemab) trial results Biogen & Eisai's 50/50 relationship for lecanemab Other trials including lecanemab Biogen's recent $900 million lawsuit settlement due to improper physician payment ARIA (Amyloid-related Imaging Abnormality): key side effects in lecanemab Transcr...

Dr. Mia talks with Samantha Culler, LCSW at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist's Memory Counseling Program about her professional and personal journey of being a care partner. Neither of them speak on behalf of their employer and views expressed are theirs only. Memory Counseling Program: https://www.wakehealth.edu/locations/clinics/m/memory-counseling-program-sticht-center Dementia care partners' support group manuals and books: https://www.centerforloss.com/bookstore/a-support-group-for-peopl...

Dr. Mia talks about the difficult but common safety issues in Steve & Nina's story. 4 M's of safety problems in people with mild/early stage dementia: money, medications, meals, and mobility/driving. Driving safety: https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/driving-safety-and-alzheimers-disease Older adults & driving: https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/older-drivers Find an OT who does driving tests: https://www.aota.org/practice/practice-settings/driving-community-mobility/driving--community-mobilit...

Dr. Mia describes the domains of memory/cognition: short-term memory executive function visuospatial memory language attention speed of processing Memory mimickers that can confound memory evals: anticholinergic meds obstructive sleep apnea hearing loss: hearing amplifier PockeTalker on Amazon alcohol use: 2 or more drinks/day for men, 1 or more drinks/day for women head injury low thyroid, low B12 Transcripts & sign up for podcast alerts on www.miayangmd.com Music & disclaimer Tran...