In today's episode, I had the pleasure to speak to Dr. Anila Medina, a board-certified internist and geriatrician from UMass Memorial Health. This episode was very meaningful to me as I was able to first-hand learn from a physician and hear about her unique insights and perspectives regarding dementia care, a field I am longing to pursue. Dr. Medina shared with us her remarkable journey into medicine and geriatric care extending all the way back from Pakistan. She highlighted the existing stigma surrounding dementia care, and the importance for our society to work together to reduce that stigma. She also emphasized the importance of early dementia diagnosis as that could open our door to numerous diagnostics, testing, and treatment options. Last but not least, she offered us numerous healthy and lifestyle changes to take better charge of our brain health today!

It is incredible physicians like Dr. Medina that inspires and gives me so much hope for the future of geriatric care.

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to Dr. Anila Medina
03:14 Inspiration Behind a Medical Career
05:03 Understanding Dementia: A Personal Perspective
06:24 Stigma and Misconceptions Surrounding Dementia
10:21 Cultural Awareness and Diagnosis of Dementia
11:35 Navigating the Emotional Landscape of Dementia
13:17 Tailoring Care Approaches for Individuals
16:03 The Role of Non-Pharmacological Interventions
19:20 Hope for a Future Cure
22:05 The Multi-Specialty Aging Brain Initiative
25:10 Advice for Brain Health and Dementia Prevention
29:16 Changing the Approach to Dementia Care
30:02 Key Takeaways and Closing Thoughts

In our final episode of 2025, it is my greatest honor to welcome our third international star: Nicola Jacobson-Wright, a dementia practice development coach and professor at the University of Worcester based in the United Kingdom of Great Britain. Nicola is a gifted dancer and she shared with us her lovely journey into dementia care. Our conversation touched on her initiative, Dance and Dementia, where she aims to engage those living with dementia through movement and dance. Moreover, we discussed the state of dementia and care in the UK as well as the infamous Namaste Care approach that Nicola and her colleagues developed at the Association for Dementia Studies. Nicola shared the latest research, implementation techniques, and delivery approaches of Namaste Care.

Looking forward to you joining our lovely conversation! 🤍

#dementia #dance #namaste #sensory

In this episode, I am pleased to welcome our second international guest: Dr. Cecilia Chan, an imaginative gerontologist, dementia advocate and activist based in Malaysia. Our conversation focused on the rising aging population in Malaysia, the stigmatized discourse surrounding dementia in Malaysia, and how innovative community-based projects that she lead such as the Forgotten Mutiara Café plays a key role to transform the perception and culture of dementia care. I also had the privilege to learn about her other beautiful initiatives including the Totsu-Totsu Therapeutic Arts and Dancing with Dementia Retreat, which have been featured in national and international media.

You surely do not want to miss this beautiful conversation! ✨ Together, let’s uncover this majestic but forgotten Mutiara!

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to Dr. Cecilia Chan and Her Work
04:29 Understanding Aging in Malaysia
09:50 The Stigma Surrounding Dementia in Malaysia
14:31 Community-Based Advocacy Initiatives
16:40 The Forgotten Mutiara Cafe
21:02 Therapeutic Arts and Dance Retreats
22:10 Pharmaceutical vs Non-Pharmaceutical Approaches
24:42 Building Relationships in Care
25:59 Supporting Families in Dementia Care
27:01 Mindfulness and the Future of Dementia Care