Age of Aging

If you asked most caregivers, they would probably say there’s nothing funny about caring for someone with dementia. The stress, grief, and frustration can feel overwhelming. But what if the principles of improv comedy — being present, saying “yes,” and working together — could make caregiving easier and more joyful?  In this episode of the Age of Aging, we explore the surprising connection between improv and dementia care. You’ll hear how techniques from the stage are helping caregivers reduce stress, improve communication, and find moments of joy.  What’s inside:   A peek inside the Penn Memory Center’s Cognitive Comedy class, where caregivers and people living with dementia learn improv basics.   Dr. Anne Basting on why asking questions and staying present matters in tough caregiving moments.   Improv teacher and elder care educator Karen Stobbe shares her personal story of using improv to care for her mother with Alzheimer’s.   Researchers Dr. Candace Kemp, Dr. Jennifer Craft Morgan, and Amanda Lee Williams discuss the science behind improv’s benefits for caregivers.   Leah Lawler, creator of Cognitive Comedy, explains why teaching improv to older adults is her passion.   Whether you’re a caregiver, a healthcare professional, or simply curious about creative approaches to aging, this episode offers practical insights and inspiring stories that will change the way you think about care.  Resources available on the episode webpage linked below   Check out the Penn Memory Center’s Cognitive Comedy class  Learn more about improv (UChicago News)  Explore Timeslips’ website   Learn more about Anne Basting   Check out Karen Stobbe’s “In the Moment”  Listen to Karen and Mondy’s story in This American Life   Read Dr. Kemp and Dr. Morgan’s study on improv and dementia care (The Gerontologist)  Watch more of Leah Lawler talking about Cognitive Comedy  A list of improv games/exercises (improvencylcopedia.org)    Special thanks this episode to Jean Haskell and her Cognitive Comedy participants, Barry and Ray, as well as Anne Basting, PhD, Karen Stobbe, Candace Kemp, PhD, Jennifer Craft Morgan, PhD, and Amanda Lee Williams.  T 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 Penn’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. Contributors include Nicolette Calcavecchia, Dalia Elsaid, Jason Karlawish, Emily Largent, and Meaghan Sharp.    The Age of Aging is made possible by generous support from the Michael Naidoff Communications Hub fund and our sponsors, the TIAA Institute and Rothkoff Law Group. The TIAA Institute is a think tank committed to building knowledge that advances lifelong financial security and well-being while considering the intersections of health and wealth. Their cutting-edge research provides actionable financial and longevity insights that help individuals and employers navigate the complex journey of aging.    C...

Artificial intelligence is everywhere in 2025, and elder care is no exception. As the older adult population continues to grow, AI has the potential to provide desperately needed support. Both at home and in the hospital, AI systems are being developed that can summarize data, predict patient outcomes, and offer preventative interventions. These systems could help clinicians be more efficient as well as shoulder some of caregivers’ many responsibilities. Yet for as many problems as AI seems to solve in healthcare, many more questions arise as to how these innovative tools can be implemented ethically.  On this episode of the Age of Aging, we take a deep dive into the developing role of AI in the care of older adults.   We first hear from expert researchers in this space about the potential ways AI could be used to assist in the lives of older adults. Then, the co-founder of New Days AI, Dr. Babak Parviz, discusses how his company utilizes AI to help older adults protect against dementia. Finally, we look into the potential challenges and ethical questions that come with implementing AI in dementia care.   Resources available on the episode webpage linked below   NASA’s definition of artificial intelligence  Learn more about Dr. Alex Mihailidis  More on Dr. George Demiris  More information on Penn AI Tech   Visit New Days AI’s website  Learn more about Dr. Mai Lee Chang  More information on Oonjee Oh  “AI Photos” (Saturday Night Live)    Special thanks this episode to Alex Mihailidis PhD, PEng, George Demiris PhD, FACMI, Babak Parviz, PhD, Mai Lee Chang, PhD, and Oonjee Oh, MSN, RN    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 Penn’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. Contributors include Nicolette Calcavecchia, Dalia Elsaid, Jason Karlawish, Emily Largent, and Meaghan Sharp.    The Age of Aging is made possible by generous support from the Michael Naidoff Communications Hub fund and our sponsors, the TIAA Institute and Rothkoff Law Group. The TIAA Institute is a think tank committed to building knowledge that advances lifelong financial security and well-being while considering the intersections of health and wealth. Their cutting-edge research provides actionable financial and longevity insights that help individuals and employers navigate the complex journey of aging.    Caring for an aging loved one isn’t easy — but you don’t have to do it alone. At Rothkoff Law Group, we guide families across New Jersey and Pennsylvania through every stage of your aging journey. Our team of elder care attorneys, geriatric care coordinators, and public benefits specialists advocate for your loved one’s well-being and your peace of mind. Rothkoff Law Group — your partner in advocacy and senior care planning, every step of the way. Visit RothkoffLaw.com.     

Innovation in dementia care is revolutionizing the way we diagnose and treat older adults with neurodegenerative diseases. New tests have allowed doctors to diagnose patients with diseases like Alzheimer’s more accurately than ever before. The anti-amyloid therapies Lecanemab and Donanemab provide a real treatment for those living with Alzheimer’s. While these innovations are incredible for those experiencing dementia, they are also beginning to change our culture around dementia generally.  On this episode of the Age of Aging, Terrence Casey sits down with Dr. Jason Karlawish to talk about major steps forward in dementia care and how they’re changing the way we speak about dementia.   The topics in this conversation are pulled directly from the Dr. Karlawish’s new column, Neurotransmissions, in STAT News. Dr. Karlawish discusses the stigma-based way we talk about dementia in popular culture and the damage it does to older adults. He explains how new diagnostic tests and treatments are reshaping this culture by providing patients and caregivers with greater knowledge of their condition as well as hope for improvement. Dr. Karlawish said these changes will ultimately reduce the stigma associated with dementia and allow for further progress in the care of older adults.   Resources available on the episode webpage linked below   Read Dr. Karlawish’s column, Neurotransmissions, on STAT News  Read Illness as a Metaphor and AIDS and Its Metaphors by Susan Sontag  Learn more about LATE   Read Joshua Grill’s piece in the Philadelphia Inquirer    Special thanks to Dr. Jason Karlawish, MD, 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 Penn’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. Contributors include Nicolette Calcavecchia, Dalia Elsaid, Jason Karlawish, Emily Largent, and Meaghan Sharp.    The Age of Aging is made possible by generous support from the Michael Naidoff Communications Hub fund and our sponsors, the TIAA Institute and Rothkoff Law Group. The TIAA Institute is a think tank committed to building knowledge that advances lifelong financial security and well-being while considering the intersections of health and wealth. Their cutting-edge research provides actionable financial and longevity insights that help individuals and employers navigate the complex journey of aging.    Caring for an aging loved one isn’t easy — but you don’t have to do it alone. At Rothkoff Law Group, we guide families across New Jersey and Pennsylvania through every stage of your aging journey. Our team of elder care attorneys, geriatric ca...

Although the Age of Aging often focuses on science, art has been a recurring theme. In Season 2, Episode 2, “Diet, Exercise, and... Doodling?”, we explored how creativity can support longevity. However, beyond art’s apparent health benefits, making and consuming art can also help us better understand the experience of aging. In many ways, the change and loss associated with aging are best understood through art.  Today’s episode of the Age of Aging looks once again at art creation in aging through the stories and work of three artists living with brain disease.   Joe Vanek, a stage designer for more than 40 years, experienced a stroke that changed how he viewed time and creativity.  Scott LaMascus left graduate school in poetry to care for his father with ALS, finding meaning through writing and reflection.  Neesa Becker-Procaccino, a professional illustrator, stopped working after an Alzheimer’s diagnosis but returned to art as a way to heal and connect.  Each artist faced disruption. Yet through art, each found a way to continue creating and redefining identity in the face of illness.   Resources available on the episode webpage linked below  Watch the full video featuring Neesa Becker-Procaccino   Learn more about Joe Vanek  Read more of Joe Vanek’s story  Read “Dispatches from the Dark Side of the Moon” and “Hesitant Light”  Check out more of Joe Vanek’s illustrations  Saint Patrick  The Queen of Hearts  Our Lady Guadalupe   The Child of Prague  Nutcracker  The Snow Queen  Follow Joe Vanek on Instagram  Learn more about Scott LaMascus ...

Over the past year, the Age of Aging has spoken with expert clinicians who study the brain, as well as individuals living with neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. We believe that these two perspectives are essential for fully understanding dementia in 2025.  In today’s episode, we hear from someone who can speak to both perspectives.  Dr. Daniel Gibbs is a retired neurologist and author currently living with Alzheimer’s disease. Joined by his wife and caregiver, Lois Seed, he sat down with Age of Aging Executive Producer Dr. Jason Karlawish to discuss Dan’s experience. While the two physicians have had repeated conversations over the years concerning Dan’s diagnosis, Lois’ presence highlights how the disease has progressed and how their relationship has taken on new caregiving dynamics.  What you will hear is an authentic depiction of living with Alzheimer’s disease, along with insights on how a partner begins to care for that person’s changing mind.  Resources available on the episode webpage linked below  Read A Tattoo on My Brain: A Neurologists Personal Battle with Alzheimer’s Disease. Watch the documentary, A Tattoo on My Brain  Learn more about Dan and Lois’ story  (American Heart Association)  Read Dr. Daniel Gibbs’ blog   Special thanks to Daniel Gibbs, MD, PhD, and Lois Seed 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 Penn’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. Contributors include Nicolette Calcavecchia, Dalia Elsaid, Jason Karlawish, Emily Largent, and Meaghan Sharpe.  The Age of Aging is made possible by generous support from the Michael Naidoff Communications Hub fund and our sponsor, the TIAA Institute. The TIAA Institute is a think tank committed to building knowledge that advances lifelong financial security and well-being while considering the intersections of health and wealth. Their cutting-edge research provides actionable financial and longevity insights that help individuals and employers navigate the complex journey of aging.