Penn Memory Center

12/15/2025

Caregiving during the holidays?

The season can feel full, and for caregivers, it often comes with extra pressure. Travel plans, packed schedules, family dynamics, and keeping your loved one comfortable all at once.

Revisit this episode of The Age of Aging where Director of Social Work at Penn Memory Center Alison Lynn shares practical ways to make the holidays smoother.

Listen here: bit.ly/AoA-Holiday-Tips

12/11/2025

What if the best response isn’t correcting or comforting, but asking a question?

In The Age of Aging podcast, Dr. Anne Basting shares a powerful alternative to “truth” or “therapeutic lying” when a person with dementia says something that isn’t factually true.

Instead of saying, “Dad’s not at the store” or “Dad died years ago,” she says:

Try: “Tell me about Dad.”
Try: “How did you meet?”

This is creative care. And it creates connection, not correction.

🎧 Listen to the full episode here: bit.ly/44je12N

The Age of Aging is made possible by the Michael Naidoff Communications Hub fund and our sponsors, the TIAA Institute and Rothkoff Law Group.

12/10/2025

Norma “Momom” Hall lost her sister Mary as a child in rural Ireland. Decades later, Mary returned, not in life, but in memory.

As Momom’s dementia progressed, she began seeing Mary again. To her, Mary sat beside her, joked with her, comforted her.

Hallucinations like this affect up to half of those with late-stage Alzheimer’s and related dementias. But they don’t always cause fear.

Read this story and explore expert guidance on navigating hallucinations in dementia with empathy and calm.

12/09/2025

You might not think “caregiving” and “comedy” belong in the same sentence. This episode of the Age of Aging will change your mind.
Through the lens of improv, we explore how humor, presence, and flexibility are transforming dementia care. Hear from caregivers, artists, and researchers who use these techniques to ease stress, deepen connection, and bring joy to everyday moments.

👥 Meet the guests:

• Dr. Anne Basting shares how creative care offers a third option between truth and denial
• Karen Stobbe uses improv to care for her parents and trains caregivers around the world
• Leah Lawler, who founded Cognitive Comedy at PMC, explains why older adults remain her favorite improv partners
• Drs. Candace Kemp and Jennifer Craft Morgan found real evidence that improv reduces caregiver stress
• Amanda Lee Williams reflects on how improv reshaped her own relationship with her father

Listen to the full episode here: bit.ly/44je12N

The Age of Aging is made possible by the Michael Naidoff Communications Hub fund and our sponsors, the TIAA Institute and Rothkoff Law Group.

12/08/2025

Looking for a holiday outing that breaks from the usual Nutcracker routine? One-Man Nutcracker by Chris Davis reimagines the classic story with one actor playing every role, from Marie to the Sugar Plum Fairy. WHYY has called the show a witty, irreverent spin on the ballet.

🎟 After the show, join us for a special post-performance conversation between Chris Davis and Penn Memory Center Co-Director Dr. Jason Karlawish, co-director of the Penn Memory Center. Together, they’ll explore the deep connections between movement, memory, and meaning.

🗓 Saturday, December 20 | 1 p.m.
📍 The Proscenium at The Drake, 302 S Hicks St, Philadelphia
🎫 Open to the public, get your tickets here: bit.ly/4aAZByU

12/05/2025

Caring for a loved one with dementia often feels tougher around the holidays. You do not have to handle that alone.

Join Alison Lynn, director of Social Work at Penn Memory Center, for a practical conversation on how dementia affects the family, common responses to diagnosis and progression, and practical ways to prepare for holiday gatherings.

🗓️ December 12
⏰ 12 p.m.
📍 Online via Zoom

Register for this Empowering Caregivers session here: bit.ly/3YgnBQp

Catch up on all previous workshops through our Empowering Caregivers playlist: bit.ly/4oDr3PU

12/04/2025

What happens when AI enters palliative care?

Oonjee Oh, a PhD student at Penn Nursing, raises key questions about privacy, consent, and emotional vulnerability when AI tools are used at the end of life. Many patients don’t know their medical conversations could be fed into algorithms. And in dementia care, it’s not always clear where human support ends and automation begins.

Listen to the full Age of Aging episode on AI and elder care here: bit.ly/44luZgU

The Age of Aging is made possible by the Michael Naidoff Communications Hub fund, the TIAA Institute, and Rothkoff Law Group.

12/02/2025

AI tools in elder care aren't limited to the future—they’re already here. Dr. George Demiris explains how passive sensors in the home can track patterns, flag risks, and even help prevent falls or hospitalizations.

But as these tools become more sophisticated, Dr. Demiris stresses that older adults must remain active participants, not passive subjects. They should be able to view their own data, understand what’s being tracked, and help shape how technology supports their care.

Hear more from Dr. Demiris and other experts in the new episode of The Age of Aging: bit.ly/44luZgU

The Age of Aging is made possible by the Michael Naidoff Communications Hub fund, the TIAA Institute, and Rothkoff Law Group.

12/01/2025

🌳 December Memory Café: The Memory Tree 🌳

Join us December 5 for The Memory Tree: Writing from the Roots of Imagination and Magic, an interactive workshop by WriteMinds that blends memory, creativity, and storytelling through guided writing prompts.

📍 Ralston House, Wellness Center (first floor), 3615 Chestnut Street
🕥 Doors open 10:30 a.m. | Event 11 a.m.–12 p.m.
📝 Register here: bit.ly/4pbt5Io

Watch highlights from our November session with The Clay Studio’s Claymobile team, where participants shaped and decorated their own bowls.

November’s Memory Café featured a hands-on session led by The Clay Studio’s Claymobile. With guidance from teaching artists, participants got to shape and de...

11/25/2025

Artificial intelligence is changing how we care for older adults. From smart sensors to daily chats with AI avatars, this episode of The Age of Aging explores how technology supports independence and safety while raising important questions about privacy, trust, and control.

Listen to the full episode: bit.ly/44luZgU

The Age of Aging is made possible by the Michael Naidoff Communications Hub fund, the TIAA Institute, and Rothkoff Law Group.

11/24/2025

How does art make sense of memory, identity, and loss?

Watch highlights from “Memory, Loss: A Conversation with Dr. Jason Karlawish and Lauren Rosenblum,” a dialogue on how art reveals the caregiving experience, the weight of memory, and the science behind cognitive change.

The Print Center exhibition featured work by Janet Biggs, Will Harris, Eloise Hess, Katherine Hubbard, Kaitlin Santoro, Edra Soto, and Hester Stinnett

To watch the full recording visit: youtu.be/sXSeqdhlNcQ

11/20/2025

Smart homes that know when to call for help. Wearables that spot changes before a crisis. AI avatars holding long chats to boost brain health. Sounds promising, but is it too much, too fast?

Next Tuesday, The Age of Aging digs into how artificial intelligence is reshaping care for older adults and people living with dementia.
From predictive tech and fall prevention to ethical questions about consent and control, this episode unpacks what AI is really doing in the lives of older adults.

🎧 Don’t miss it. Subscribe now so you never miss an episode: linktr.ee/The_Age_of_Aging

The Age of Aging is made possible by the Michael Naidoff Communications Hub fund, the TIAA Institute, and Rothkoff Law Group.