Age of Aging

When we think about justice, older adults aren’t always top of mind. Yet in the United States, seniors often face stigma, exploitation, and insufficient social support, all while navigating cognitive…

Welcome to a mid-year bonus episode of The Age of Aging! While the podcast takes a short break between seasons, we wanted to bring you a special update on the state of Alzheimer’s today. Penn Memory …

When we talk about dementia on this podcast, we are often talking about its most common cause: Alzheimer's disease. However, dementia has many causes, and among the most prevalent after Alzheimer’s i…

Sex and intimacy can be difficult topics to navigate, especially for caregivers and their partners facing the challenges of a dementia diagnosis. These conversations are often avoided, yet the emotio…

The U.S. healthcare system is changing—especially when it comes to caring for older adults. The COVID-19 pandemic revealed how vulnerable our aging population is, and how unprepared many parts of the…

We often think of dementia as something that affects the oldest among us, and that’s often true; at the Penn Memory Center, the average age of diagnosis is between 70 and 75. In most of those cases, …

The world is getting older—and that reality is what inspired this podcast. Thanks to advances in medicine, healthier lifestyles, and improved living conditions, people are living longer than ever. Th…

No one wants to think about their death, let alone talk about it. But having a meaningful conversation with your loved ones about your final days is one of the most important things you can do for th…

At the Penn Memory Center, one of the most common questions we hear is: What can I do to keep my brain healthy as I age?  

We often reference diet and exercise as essential tools when it comes to mai…

In dementia care and research, it’s widely accepted that people living with advanced dementia often lose the ability to connect and communicate as they once did. However, one phenomenon has been the …

What does spring smell like?  

What do you think is a beautiful sound?  

If those questions made you pause for a second and reflect, that’s exactly the point. These are examples of “beautiful questio…

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 …

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…

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, t…

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…

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 pre…

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…

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 Kis…

The first four episodes mark the end of the first season of the Age of Aging. But don’t worry! The second season of the Age of Aging will resume two weeks from now. With a slightly different format, …

Diagnostic testing is at the heart of both the clinical care and research at the Penn Memory Center. Patients and research participants alike undergo various diagnostics such as PET scans, MRI scans,…