Age of Aging – Details, episodes & analysis

Welcome to a special bonus episode of the Age of Aging! As we bring in the New Year, we're taking a moment to reflect on the key milestones in dementia research and clinical care from 2024 and share our excitement for what's ahead in 2025. Today’s episode features a conversation between three distinguished leaders in dementia research and clinical care at Penn Medicine and beyond.  

Dr. Jason Karlawish is a geriatrician and co-directs the Penn Memory Center. Dr. David Wolk co-directs the Penn Memory Center as well as the Institute on Aging, and is a cognitive neurologist. Finally, Dr. Eddie Lee co-directs the Institute on Aging and is a neuropathologist at UPenn.  

Together, they'll share their highlights from 2024, discuss groundbreaking advancements in the field, and offer their perspectives on where dementia research and care are headed in 2025. 

Don’t worry, regular episodes of the Age of Aging will return in 2025! Until then, we hope you enjoy this insightful conversation on aging to bring in the New Year.  

It’s the season 2 finale of the Age of Aging! To celebrate, we welcomed back guests from Seasons 1 and 2 and asked them to dream big to improve aging in America.  

In this episode, you’ll hear a wide range of ideas: from integrated child and eldercare to ballet training for young adults to walkable communities and many more. This episode is an opportunity to think idealistically about the world, hear ideas from people in the Penn Memory Center community, and develop some ideas of your own. 

Season 3 of the Age of Aging will begin early next year. Subscribe to our Age of Aging news magazine to be the first to know when new episodes drop.   

Resources 

• More on intergeneration child and elder care  

• Check out Anne Basting’s work 

• Learn more about Memory Cafe’s at PMC 

• Timeline of Ballet Russes (Library of Congress) 

• Photo project on 72-year-olds around the world (NPR) 

• Benefits of walkable places (CNU) 

• 60 Minutes segment on hologram for holocaust survivors (CBS) 

• More on Kneipp Therapy 

• Dementia care in Australia 

• TED Talk on Positive Deviance 

Special thanks to Melissa Kelley, Anne Basting, Anthony Roth Castanzo, Jason Karalawish, MD, Emily Largent, JD, PhD, RN, Kate Lietz, Laynie Dratch, Lynn Cronomiz, Lauren Massismo, PhD, CRNP, FAAN, Meg Kalafsky, and Shana Stites PsyD, MA, MS for being a part of this episode. 

The Age of Aging is a Penn Memory Center production hosted by Editorial Director Terrence Casey and Producer Jake Johnson, in partnership with the Penn FTD Center, the Penn Institute on Aging, and UPenn’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. Contributors include Nicolette Calcavecchia, Dalia Elsaid, Marie Ingegneri, Jason Karlawi...

We all hope that we can age with as much independence, purpose, and well-being as possible in our later years. Unfortunately, aging is never so straightforward and we will all face our own unique challenges and complexities as we get older. So, with all this uncertainty, how do we get the most out of this later stage of life? 

In our second episode of the Age of Aging, we explore stories about maintaining dignity, health, and a sense of meaning in our older years.  

Our first story will look at a new model for care called “Supported Decision-Making,” which aims to give those with impairment greater autonomy for as long as possible. For our second, Dr. Claudia Kawas discusses her research on the oldest people in our population and what they can tell us about aging. Then, we will hear about the late Carl Duzen, who began creating art as his dementia from Alzheimer’s progressed. Our final story will cover Memory Cafés, a major program at Penn and beyond, which provides a safe space for art and community for those living with dementia. 

Resources  

• Learn more about Supported Decision-Making 

• Check out the ACLU’s Supported Decision-Making Resource Library  

• Watch the extended interview with Dr. Claudia Kawas 

• Carl Duzen on “It’ll Make Sense When You’re Older” by This American Life 

• Moment to Moment by Mike Attie  

• Learn more about Carl Duzen 

• More information on Memory Cafés (AARP) 

• Learn more about Memory Cafés at the Penn Memory Center  

Thank you to Emily Largent, PhD, RN, Claudia Kawas, MD, Carl Duzen, PhD, Susan Jewett, Louise Qualtrene, Marjorie Snelling, Meg Kalafsky, MHCI, Debbie Feldman, Joanne Beam for being a part of this episode. Thanks as well to the Quaker Notes for their wonderful singing.

The Age of Aging is a Penn Memory Center production hosted by Editorial Director Terrence Casey and Producer Jake Johnson, in partnership with the Penn FTD Center, the Penn Institute on Aging, and UPenn’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. Contributors include Nicolette Calcavecchia, Marie Ingegneri, Jason Karlawish, Cait Kearney, Emily Largent, Meg McCarthy, and Olivia Voz...

Clinical advancements have made it easier than ever to learn your personal risk of developing age-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Through genetic testing or biomarker measurement, you can learn if you’re more likely than your peers to develop dementia as you age.

Do you want to know?

In our first episode of the Age of Aging, we explore exactly that question.

First, we’ll hear about the role of genetic counselors in guiding people through the process of genetic testing. In our second story, Dr. Emily Largent discusses how people react to learning their level of risk for Alzheimer’s. Then Dr. Shana Stites discusses the way stigma impacts those with cognitive impairment and those wanting to learn their risk.

Finally, we’ll hear an update on how the Penn Memory Center is rolling out the new prescription Alzheimer’s disease treatment, Leqembi.

Resources

• Find a genetic counselor through the National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC)
• More information on SOKRATES
• “Stigma causes underdiagnosis in dementia,” by Meghan McCarthy
• More information on Leqembi and other disease-modifying therapies for Alzheimer’s

Thank you to Laynie Dratch, SCM, CGC, Elisabeth Wood, MS, LCGC, Deia Schlosberg, Emily Largent, PhD, RN, Shana Stites, PsyD, MA, MS, and Jason Karlawish, MD, for being a part of this episode. Special thanks to Melissa Flamporis, Melissa Kelley, Dan Papa, and Alex Prusky for lending their voices to the SOKRATES participants.

The Age of Aging is a Penn Memory Center production hosted by Editorial Director Terrence Casey and Producer Jake Johnson, in partnership with the Penn FTD Center, the Penn Institute on Aging, and UPenn’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. Contributors include Nicolette Calcavecchia, Marie Ingegneri, Jason Karlawish, Cait Kearney, Emily Largent, Meg McCarthy, and Olivia Vozzella.

A podcast about living well with an aging brain. Brought to you by the aging experts at the University of Pennsylvania.  

Supported by the Penn Memory Center, Penn FTD Center, Penn Institute on Aging, and Penn Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center.  

Episode 1 available Tuesday, 7/23

The holidays are a time for celebration, joy, and being with loved ones. Unfortunately, it can also be a time that brings stress and anxiety. Between travel, shopping, and managing family dynamics, this season can feel overwhelming. For caregivers and individuals with dementia, these challenges are often magnified. Travel and social gatherings can pose unique difficulties, leaving many caregivers wondering: What will the holidays look like for my loved one and me this year? 

To help you answer this question, we sat down with Director of Social Work at the Penn Memory Center, Alison Lynn, to explore strategies and tips for tackling the holidays. 

First, Alison discusses the difficult but important task of adjusting your expectations for what is possible this year as a caregiver. Then, she lays out some tips for navigating holiday travel, whether by car or plane, with someone who has dementia. Finally, Alison gives advice for managing the actual holiday event, including how other family members can help and the importance of communication during this process. 

Resources 

• “Please Be Patient” Cards 

• More on the holidays and Alzheimer’s  

• Programs and services at the Penn Memory Center 

• More on Alison Lynn at PMC 

Special thanks to Alison Lynn MSW, LCSW for being a part of this episode. 

The Age of Aging is a Penn Memory Center production hosted by Editorial Director Terrence Casey and Producer Jake Johnson, in partnership with the Penn FTD Center, the Penn Institute on Aging, and UPenn’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. Contributors include Nicolette Calcavecchia, Dalia Elsaid, Marie Ingegneri, Jason Karlawish, Emily Largent, Meg McCarthy, and Meaghan Sharp. 

Providing equitable aging research and care faces a major barrier: minorities that are disproportionately impacted by dementia are greatly underrepresented. Data shows that Black and African American individuals are twice as a likely to develop dementia. Hispanic and Latino populations are one and a half times as likely. At the core of this issue is what researchers call social and structural determinants of health (SSDOH). These are the ways our health is impacted by social factors in our environment, poverty, racism, and limited access to healthy food. Outreach is the central way research centers, such as those at the Penn Memory Center, attempt to address these disparities. Outreach coordinators attempt to establish ties with local communities, providing educational talks on aging as well encouraging members of the community to sign up for clinical trials. While important, much more is needed in order to overcome these disparities.  

On this episode of the Age of Aging, we explore the disproportionality of dementia’s impact on underrepresented groups and how outreach efforts seek to address that.   

We’ll first learn how PMC Outreach Coordinator, Morgann Adams works to establish ties with black and African American communities in Philadelphia. We will then hear from Dr. Eddie Lee about how social factors physically change a person’s brain as they age. Finally, Reverend Leroy Miles discusses the relationship between Enon Tabernacle Church and the Penn Memory Center and the aging needs of his community.  

 Resources 

• Learn more about aging disparities in underrepresented groups.  

• More on community outreach at PMC 

• More information on the Aging Brain Cohort Dedicated to Diversity (ABCD2) Study. 

• Read about the work of the Dr. Eddie Lee’s lab. 

• Visit Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church’s website 

Special thanks to Morgann Adams, Eddie Lee, MD, PhD, and Reverend Leroy Miles for being a part of this episode. 

The Age of Aging is a Penn Memory Center production hosted by Editorial Director Terrence Casey and Producer Jake Johnson, in partnership with the Penn FTD Center, the Penn Institute on Aging, and UPenn’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. Contributors include Nicolette Calcavecchia, Dalia Elsaid, Marie Ingegneri, Jason Karlawish, Emily Largent, Meg McCarthy, and Meaghan Sharp. 

This November, millions of Americans will head to the polls for the 2024 presidential election. But while the right to vote is essential to our democracy, unfortunately, the process of voting can present unique challenges for individuals with disabilities like dementia, often requiring outside assistance. If you’re a caregiver, how much can you help someone vote? What kind of assistance is available to those with dementia?  

On episode 3 of the Age of Aging, we look at voting, and what the process means for individuals with dementia and their caregivers.  

We begin by talking with Dr. Jason Karlawish who discusses the legal framework around voting capacity and shares his perspective on how to define a person’s capacity to vote. Then, voting advocate TJ DeLuca provides some important information on assisting the voting process for individuals with disabilities. Finally, we’ll hear from a voter who was falsely told he could not help his wife with dementia vote in 2020.  

Resources 

• Pennsylvania Designated Agent Form 

• Check out the American Bar Association and Penn Memory Center’s guide to voting with cognitive impairment 

• More on Doe v. Rowe case 

• Read Dr. Karlawish’s study on voting in long-term care facilities 

• Visit disabilityrightspa.org or call 1-800-692-7443 to learn your rights 

Special thanks to Jason Karlawish, MD, TJ DeLuca, and John Moore for being a part of this episode. 

The Age of Aging is a Penn Memory Center production hosted by Editorial Director Terrence Casey and Producer Jake Johnson, in partnership with the Penn FTD Center, the Penn Institute on Aging, and UPenn’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. Contributors include Nicolette Calcavecchia, Dalia Elsaid, Marie Ingegneri, Jason Karlawish, Emily Largent, Meg McCarthy, and Meaghan Sharp. 

An Alzheimer's doctor goes to the opera...This isn't the start of a bad joke; it's the result of a collaboration between the Penn Memory Center and leaders of Philadelphia's arts community. The first of its kind at PMC, the Arts on the Mind Festival explored the intersection of the mind and art over a two-month event span. Music, literature, visual art, and film were all featured as mediums to better understand the importance of art in our lives and even how art can be used to help those with cognitive impairment.   

On episode 2 of the Age of Aging’s second season, we take a look at the Arts on the Mind Festival to understand just how essential the arts and creativity are for us as aging humans.  

We start at the first event of Arts on the Mind at the Franklin Institute for a discussion between Dr. Jason Karlawish and special guest Anne Basting on the mind and creativity. Then, we’ll hear from the festival’s creators on how their vision evolved over time and why it ultimately became what it did. Finally, we’ll examine the deeper connection between art and the brain, asking: Could creative expression be more than just a source of joy? Could it be a therapeutic tool for those with cognitive challenges? 

Resources 

• Learn more about the Arts on the Mind Festival 

• Check out more programs at the Penn Memory Center 

• Visit Anne Basting’s website 

• Learn more about “A Song by Mahler” 

• Collaborators include: The Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, The Penn Memory Center, The Franklin Insitute, The Philadelphia Film Society, the Free Library, and ARTZ Philadelphia 

Special thanks to Jayatri Das, PhD, Jason Karlawish, MD, Anne Basting, PhD, Miles Cohen, Judy Freedman, Allen Freedman, and Mark Neikrug for being a part of this episode. 

The Age of Aging is a Penn Memory Center production hosted by Editorial Director Terrence Casey and Producer Jake Johnson, in partnership with the Penn FTD Center, the Penn Institute on Aging, and UPenn’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. Contributors include Nicolette Calcavecchia, Dalia Elsaid, Marie Ingegneri, Jason Karlawish, Emily Largent, Meg McCarthy, and Meaghan Sharp. 

Over the past two years, the world has seen major developments in Alzheimer’s disease treatment with the release of two new medications: Lecanamab, marketed as Leqembi, and Donanemab, marketed as Kisunla. These two treatments are the first of their kind to reduce the physical signs of Alzheimer’s disease in the brain and potentially slow down the progression of cognitive decline.

In the premiere episode of season 2 of the Age of Aging, we explore these new anti-amyloid therapies, what they are, and how they may change the lives of patients and caregivers.

We begin with the personal story of a couple who have participated in the Donanemab clinical trials over the past three years, sharing their firsthand experiences with the medication. Project Manager of this trial at the Penn Memory Center, Melissa Kelley, provides insights into the journey of these participants.  Additionally, Dr. Sanjeev Vaishnavi offers an expert breakdown of anti-amyloid therapies, explaining what they are, how they work, and what they might mean for the future of Alzheimer’s disease treatment.

Resources

• More resources on Lecanamab (Leqembi)
• Learn more about disease modifying therapies for Alzheimer’s disease
• Check out studies currently enrolling at the Penn Memory Center.

Special thanks to Dan and Susan Henderson, Melissa Kelley, and Sanjeev Vaishnavi MD, PhD, for contributing to this episode.

The Age of Aging is a Penn Memory Center production hosted by Editorial Director Terrence Casey and Producer Jake Johnson, in partnership with the Penn FTD Center, the Penn Institute on Aging, and UPenn’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. Contributors include Nicolette Calcavecchia, Dalia Elsaid, Marie Ingegneri, Jason Karlawish, Emily Largent, and Meg McCarthy.