The Brain Trust

In today's episode, hosts Dr. Raj Shah and Dr. Eukesh Ranjit revisit foundational lessons on Alzheimer's diagnosis, stressing the importance of practical techniques and understanding the critical role of office staff and caregivers in recognizing early signs.  Primary Care physicians gain insights into evaluating cognitive issues, medication lists, mood, and essential diagnostic tests. H...

In today’s episode host Raj Shah, MD is joined by Susan Frick, MSW, LSW, Social Worker, Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center, to talk with caregiver Jeanne as she shares her heartrending experience recognizing her husband John's early signs of Alzheimer's. Jeanne talks about profound changes to simple tasks, like dressing and driving, when faced with this disease. We walk through the emotions...

When your world revolves around the delicate balance of caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's, each day can bring a torrent of emotions and challenges. That's the reality James Litchfield faced when his father, Buddy, was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's.  Host Dr. Raj Shah and Susan Frick from the Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center talk about the early warning signs, the...

When Leslie first noticed her husband Phil's memory lapses and moments of disorientation, little did she know that these were signs of younger-onset Alzheimer's disease. In our heartfelt discussion with Leslie, Dr. Raj Shah and social worker Susan Frick, traverse the intricate realities of early signs of Alzheimer's. Leslie discusses the day-to-day changes and the uphill battle in c...

When Donna's husband, Scott, began showing signs of young-onset Alzheimer's, their world turned upside down. Their story, shared with raw honesty in our latest podcast episode, brings to light the harsh reality of seeking an accurate diagnosis for Alzheimer's, particularly in younger individuals. Their journey through a maze of dismissive attitudes and misdiagnoses is a testament to...

The Brain Trust Caregiver Mini-Series brings you into the quiet strength of Alzheimer's/Dementia care partners, as Dr. Raj Shah and social worker Susan Frick from the Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center guide us through the delicate tapestry of caregiving. When the familiar fabric of life begins to unravel with the onset of Alzheimer's, it falls on the shoulders of caregivers like Katri...

In our latest Brain Trust podcast episode, Dr. Raj Shah chats with Dr. Tonja Austin, family physician and assistant professor from Rush University. Dr. Austin shares her valuable insights, stemming from her extensive, frontline experience within the African-American community in an area commonly referred to as Illinois Southland. They delve into this community's unique characteristics, barrie...

Connecting Primary Care Practices with Community Health Workers: Advancing Early Detection and Diagnosis of ADRD. Join hosts Raj Shah, MD  and Eukesh Ranjit, MD as they discuss the importance of connecting Primary Care Practices with Community Health Workers to advance early detection and diagnosis of ADRD.  They chat with Tracey Smith, Director of Community Health at the Illinois Public Health As...

Special episode with Dare To Care radio show connecting social workers, community members and primary care physicians on the importance of efforts being made across the state in the early detection and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. We invite you into the world of the Dare to Care program and the Brain Trust initiative this episode. Join our hosts and guest as they offer p...

In today’s episode host Raj Shah, MD chats with Avinash Mantha, MD, Associate Program Director at Loyola Hines VA Geriatric Fellowship, to discuss the adaptations primary care will need to make with the introduction of new ADRD treatment modalities. Learning Objectives: •Describe one reason why current processes for early ADRD diagnosis will have to change. •Identify one action primary care physic...

Discussion on ways physicians can improve early detection of Alzheimer’s disease by leveraging caregiver support Learning Objectives: Identify opportunities to guide caregivers and families of persons with dementia to appropriate care and support resources. Describe the ways a Care Consultation can be beneficial to families dealing with Alzheimer’s or other dementias. Host:  Raj Shah, MD - Profess...

Leveraging Health IT and your Electronic Health Record (EHR) for managing and detecting patients at risk for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias. Learning Objectives: Describe tools that can be used to screen for dementia, discreetly stored within the EHR and tracked over time. Discuss future directions and the use of AI for the early detection of ADRD. Host:  Raj Shah, MD - Professor, Famil...

In today’s episode host Raj Shah, MD chats with Evelyn Figueroa, MD to discuss ways family physicians can improve early detection of Alzheimer’s disease in their Latino patients. Learning Objectives: Describe specific challenges affecting the Latino communities that exacerbate the burden of Alzheimer’s disease. Name one way family physicians can create a supportive environment for early detection...

In today’s episode host Eukesh Ranjit, MD talks with Denise Feil, MD, MPH Director of Geriatric Psychiatry Training and Education at Greater Los Angeles VA Healthcare Center, about distinguishing differences of early signs, symptoms, and behaviors in neurocognitive disorders. Learning Objectives: Describe early signs and symptoms of a neurocognitive disorder Describe the degenerative cognitive syn...

In today’s episode host Raj Shah, MD chats with Avinash Mantha, MD, Associate Program Director at Loyola Hines VA Geriatric Fellowship, to discuss early detection of dementia in veteran populations. Learning Objectives: Describe three potentially reverse causes of early dementia Describe the VA's multidisciplinary and collaborative care approach with regards to dementia care Describe dementia...

In today’s episode Eukesh Ranjit, MD speaks with guests Sharon Smaga, MD, Heather Knutt, and Becky Salazar to discuss the roles community service agencies can play in assisting physicians in rural areas with early detection. Learning Objectives: Describe benefits of healthcare providers connecting with community service workers around early detection for prompt and accurate diagnosis of dementia D...

In today’s episode Raj Shah, MD speaks with guest Emma Daisy, MD to discuss the roles Illinois physicians working in Federally Qualified Health Centers can play in the early detection and diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias Learning Objectives: Understand the roles Illinois physicians working in Federally Qualified Health Centers can play in the early detection and diagnosis of...

In today’s episode we will be discussing ways family physicians can improve early detection of Alzheimer’s disease in their African Americans patients. Learning Objectives: (1)   Describe one barrier to greater early detection of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias faced by African American patients. (2)   Describe ways family physicians can improve early detection of Alzheimer’s disease and...

 In today's episode, Eukesh Ranjit, MD talks with  Sharon Smaga, MD about the unique challenges faced by providers serving in rural patient populations. They discuss the barriers, solutions and provide successful tips on how to improve early diagnosis clinic practices in rural communities.  Learning Objectives: 1 - Describe barriers to early detection of Alzheimer’s Disease and related dement...

In today’s episode we will discuss barriers and solutions for family physicians in health systems regarding the early detection, diagnosis and management of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias   Learning Objectives: (1)   Describe one barrier to greater early detection of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias in health systems (2)   Name one solution health systems can provide their fami...

Dr. Eukesh Ranjit hosts this episode and talks with Dr. Raj Shah about the larger ecosystem of the Illinois healthcare landscape involving Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Their discussion provides foundational information on available state resources for health care professionals to access and how the Illinois Department of Public Health is working to improve early detection of Alzheimer&ap...

Podcast episode 3: Diagnosing, Documenting, & Screening  Learning Objectives: (1)             Understand what a dementia is, and the importance of documenting a dementia screening assessment objectively on patient charts. (2)             Delineate between utilizing diagnostic tools and screening tools in a neurocognitive evaluation. (3)             Discuss commonly used cognitive screening too...

Dr. Shah and Dr. Ranjit discuss the differences between the cognitive, functional, and behavioral changes of normal aging and those associated with mild cognitive impairment and dementias. Learning Objectives: •        Identify differences between the cognitive, functional, and behavioral changes of normal aging and those associated with mild cognitive impairment and dementias. •        List the m...

Raj Shah, MD and Tabatha Wells, MD introduce The Brain Trust series and explain, in their own words, the goals and hopes for this series. Welcome to the Brain Trust, A Physician's Guide to Diagnosing Alzheimer's Disease and Related dementias. Brought to you from the Illinois Academy of Family Physicians.  Funding for this podcast series was provided by a grant from the Illinois Departmen...