Radio Curious visits with clinical psychiatrist, Dr. Betty J. Lacy, whose focus is the prevention, care and treatment of dementia, including Alzheimerâs disease. In part two, Dr. Lacy shares her personal experiences of caring for her parents with Alzheimer's, suggests ways to deal with the changing personality that comes with this disease and how to deal with the stress it brings to family members.
Barry Vogel, attorney and counselor, is the host and creator of Radio Curious. Christina Aanestad is the assistant producer.
In our continuing series on dementia we present two interviews with Dr. Betty J. Lacy, clinical psychiatrist, based in Ukiah, California, whose focus is the prevention, care and treatment of dementia, including Alzheimerâs disease. This chronic neurodegenerative disease that usually starts slowly and worsens over time, is the cause of 60% to 70% of cases of dementia.
In part one, Dr. Lacy tells the story of Alois Alheimers, a German psychiatrist and neuropathologist, whoâs credited with identifying the first published case of âpresenile dementiaâ, which would later be identified as Alzheimer's disease.
Dr. Lacy shares the emotional impact of the personal experiences of her parents, both of whom suffer from Alzheimerâs disease. She and her two siblings each carry the gene called APOE4, which increases a personâs susceptibility to this disease. She explains the benefits of being tested and identifies specific ways to retard and possibly prevent the onset of Alzheimerâs.
In this program, part two, Dr. Lacy shares her personal experiences of caring for her parents with Alzheimer's. She suggests ways to deal with the changing personality that comes with this disease and how to deal with the stress it brings to family members.
The book Dr. Betty Lacy recommends is âHe Wanted the Moon: The Madness and Medical Genius of Dr. Perry Baird, and His Daughterâs Quest to Know Him,â by Mimi Baird and Eve Claxton.
Radio Curious is a half-hour, weekly, long-form interview program, now in its 27th year. We interview people on a curiously wide variety of topics about life and ideas. Our website is www.radiocurious.org. If your station airs Radio Curious please let us know curious@radiocurious.org, we will add you to our list of syndicate stations. We also welcome questions, feedback and program ideas. Radio Curious 280 N. Oak St. Ukiah, Ca 95482. (707) 462-6541.
Alzheimer's Disease: A Psychiatrist's Personal Perspective -- Part Two