The Wake-Up Call

The Wake-Up Call

When personality changes signal a medical problem

Reviewed by Dr. Amanda Torres, MD, Internal Medicine and Geriatrics Sudden personality changes in an older parent are not a normal part of aging. They are frequently a symptom of a treatable medical condition: urinary tract infections, thyroid disorders, medication interactions, vitamin deficiencies, or dehydration. If your parent's

The Wake-Up Call

Signs of depression in elderly parents that look like something else

Reviewed by Dr. Patricia Huang, Board-Certified Geriatric Psychiatrist Depression in older adults rarely looks like sadness. It shows up as withdrawal, appetite loss, fatigue, irritability, and loss of interest in life, all of which get misattributed to "just getting old." The CDC estimates that depression affects about 7%

The Wake-Up Call

What doctors won't tell you about your parent's decline

Reviewed by Dr. Robert Nakamura, Board-Certified Internal Medicine and Geriatric Medicine Doctors notice more decline than they communicate. A 2019 study in the Journal of General Internal Medicine found that primary care physicians identified cognitive impairment in office visits only about 50% of the time, and even when they did

The Wake-Up Call

The conversation you've been avoiding — how to start talking about what you're seeing

Reviewed by Dr. Karen Mitchell, Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Aging Life Care Manager The best time to start this conversation is before a crisis forces it. AARP research shows that 70% of family caregivers say they wish they had started conversations about care needs earlier. You do not

The Wake-Up Call

When forgetfulness becomes something you can't explain away

Reviewed by Dr. Sarah Goldstein, PsyD, Clinical Neuropsychology Occasional forgetfulness is normal at any age. What isn't normal is a repeating pattern: the same question asked minutes apart, familiar words that vanish mid-sentence, stories retold as if brand new within the same hour. These patterns signal that something

The Wake-Up Call

The difference between normal aging and something more

Reviewed by Dr. David Park, Board-Certified Neurologist and Geriatric Medicine Specialist Normal aging is gradual, stable, and self-aware. Something more serious shows up as rapid change, repeated inability to perform familiar tasks, and lack of awareness that anything is wrong. The Alzheimer's Association estimates that 1 in 9