Category: Aging & Mortality

The Rhythm of Your Own Timing January 7, 2015

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Ben Starr, Giullian Gioiello

Personal timing, the inner rhythm that governs how we move through life, is more powerful and more invisible than most people realize. Armand DiMele, with co-hosts Giullian Gioiello and Ben Starr, explores how timing shapes acting, romance, aging, and even why grandparents push for grandchildren.

Depression Dementia and the Alzheimer’s Zone May 8, 2013

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Dr. Ronald Feevey, Giullian Gioiello

Late-life depression may double the risk of vascular dementia and raise Alzheimer’s risk by 65%. Armand DiMele surveys the research on cortisol, the hippocampus, and the toxic brain effects of chronic depression, then argues for a radical reframe: Alzheimer’s may be harder on caregivers than on those living it. Co-host Giullian Gioiello joins the conversation.

The Caregiving Wife’s Handbook with Diana Denholm April 17, 2012

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Diana Denholm, John Valerio, Linda Vanella

Caring for a seriously ill spouse strips away plans, freedom, and identity. Dr. Diana Denholm, MD, author of “The Caregiving Wife’s Handbook,” joins Armand DiMele and Linda Vanella, LCSW-R, to examine how caregivers manage resentment and burnout, and what the person being cared for can do to preserve their partner’s dignity and wellbeing.

The Shelf Life of Mental Health September 20, 2011

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Lauren Sykes, Linda Vanella

Why do problems we thought we solved come back? Armand DiMele and Linda Vanella, LCSW-R, examine why hard-won psychological gains fade over time, from the AA concept of the pink cloud to the body’s biological drive to reactivate old fears as we age. Callers share their own experiences of recurring fears and family estrangement.

How Emotions Change With Age July 12, 2011

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Linda Vanella

Serotonin may not cause depression after all. Armand DiMele and Linda Vanella, LCSW-R, dig into why the serotonin hypothesis is crumbling and why neurogenesis, the growth of new brain cells, may better explain how mood shifts with age and how exercise, learning, and enriched environments can counter decline.

Aging Well and Staying Independent July 6, 2011

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Dr. Bernard Starr, Linda Vanella

Most older adults are not depressed, not dependent, and not eager to move in with their children. Dr. Bernard Starr, PhD, Psychologist, joins Armand to dismantle those myths with research, and Linda Vanella, LCSW-R, weighs in on seniors who self-isolate. Hidden alcohol abuse, the loneliness of widowhood, and a bold proposal to tap elder wisdom in education all get airtime.

Addiction and Depression in the Elderly June 28, 2011

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Sherri Siegel

Older adults are an overlooked population of addicts, and alcohol hits them harder than most realize. Armand DiMele and Dr. Sherry Siegel, M.D. examine late-onset substance use, the dangerous mix of alcohol and prescription medications, the leading cause of injury death in people over 65, and how to distinguish grief and sadness from clinical depression.

Elder Abuse and the Aging Society June 21, 2011

Host: Armand DiMele

Aging in America leaves too many people vulnerable to harm by those they trust most. Armand DiMele breaks down the full spectrum of elder abuse, from physical and financial exploitation to neglect and rights violations, then opens the phones to callers wrestling with the real costs of caring for aging parents.

Getting Older and Becoming Invisible December 23, 2009

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Dr. Bernard Starr

As people age, they stop being seen as resources and start being overlooked. Armand DiMele and guest Dr. Bernard Starr, PhD, Psychologist, examine how aging strips perceived value in relationships and society, why midlife crisis follows lost potency, and how accepting invisibility may be healthier than fighting it.

Music Therapy and the Brain with Connie Tamiano December 9, 2009

Host: Armand DiMeleGuests: Connie Tamiano

Music reaches the brain in ways words cannot, and trained music therapist Connie Tamiano explains why. She and Armand discuss customizing song lists for dementia patients, how rhythm drives movement, and why watching rather than asking reveals how music affects someone you love.