Episode Details

Dr. Jason Karlawish, physician and professor at the University of Pennsylvania and co-director of the Penn Memory Center, speaks with us about his book, "The Problem of Alzheimer's: How Science, Culture and Politics Turned a Rare Disease into a Crisis."

The discussion was insightful in many ways. We talked about how Alzheimer's was first identifed as a disease, rather than just an outcome of aging. The challenges facing caregivers and the cost of long-term care, on individuals, families and society. We looked at how politics has used rhetoric to design a health care system that is not focused on long-term care or the expansion of a social insurance program. And we talked about some of the moral and ethical questions that caregivers face, such as "loving deception."

The book shares stories of patients of Dr. Karlawish, he gets into the history of the scientists that first identified Alzheimer's as a disease and how the World Wars stopped the research and innovation. It is a valuable read and I would highly recommend it.

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You can reach Dr. Karlawish through his website: www.jasonkarlawish.com 

makingsenseof alzheimers.org is the other website mentioned in this episode