Aging Now Podcast

Most people know sleep gets harder with age. What nobody tells you is that the sleep problems you're ignoring right now the insomnia, the restless nights, the medication you've been on for 20 years may be doing more damage than you think.In this episode, Dr. Arun Karlamanga sits down with Dr. Cathy Alessi, Professor of Geriatric Medicine and Sleep Medicine at UCLA, to talk about what's actually happening with sleep in older adults and what clinicians and patients need to know but rarely hear. They cover why the sleeping pill that "worked" for two decades may have stopped working long ago, the surprisingly strong link between sleep disorders and cognitive decline, and the one question your doctor should be asking at every visit but probably isn't. 

Most families navigating dementia know what memory loss looks like. What no one prepares them for are the behavioral and psychological symptoms the agitation, the refusals, the personality shifts that can make caregiving feel impossible. In this episode, Dr. Aaron Kaufman sits down with Kemi Reeves, DNP, Associate Director of the UCLA Alzheimer's and Dementia Care Program, to talk about what managing symptoms of dementia actually looks like in real families and what caregivers and clinicians can do about it. They cover the limits of medication, the practical strategies that actually work, how to reframe resistance and refusal, why the caregiver is as central to the treatment plan as the patient and what most families are never told about dementia-related sleep problems, apathy, and how to ask for help.RESOURCESRegister For Intensive Course UCLA Geriatric Medicine Board Review Course — September 2025 https://web.cvent.com/event/8180d94f-f261-4184-af2b-8733d348cedf/websitePage:b72f2e65-ac9a-4e42-9aec-c6ebbcf735baAging Now Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/agingnowpodcastUCLA Geriatrics Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/uclageriatrics/UCLA Division of Geriatrics: https://www.uclahealth.org/departments/medicine/geriatrics/education FEATURED PHYSICIANS Dr. Aaron Kaufman, MDGeriatric Psychiatrist | UCLA Health Kemi Reeves, DNPAssociate Director, UCLA Alzheimer's and Dementia Care ProgramThe information shared in this podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare provider for guidance specific to your situation