How Medications can Affect the Brain and Behaviors: For Older Adults and Persons Living with Dementia

Catholic Charities Hawaii (CCH) has launched this series of expert speaker panels focusing on Dementia-Related Behaviors that can be challenging for caregivers and providers of persons living with dementia in the community. This workshop will cover medication management for older adults and persons living with dementia. The expert panel presenters will also discuss safely treating depression, behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia, pain and incontinence.

Expert Panel Presenters:

Aida Wen, MD is a Professor at the Dept. of Geriatric Medicine, John A. Burns School of Medicine at University of Hawaii (UH JABSOM) and is board certified in Geriatrics and Palliative Care. She is the Principal Investigator of the HRSA funded Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program which strives to enhance geriatric training for all health professionals, and to integrate geriatrics into primary care. She is Medical Director of Manoa Cottage Kaimuki, a nursing facility dedicated to dementia care. Passionate about improving dementia care and nursing home care, Dr. Wen strives to help patients, providers and caregivers make the journey through this difficult diagnosis as gracefully as possible.

Dr. Camlyn Masuda is an Associate Specialist with UH at Hilo Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy. She received her Pharm.D. degree from Oregon State University and then completed a residency at Kaiser Permanente Health Plan in Honolulu. She continued practicing as an ambulatory care pharmacist at Kaiser Permanente after her residency and then started working for the college in 2014. She is an ambulatory care pharmacist at the University Family Medicine Clinic in Aiea, part of the UH JABSOM Family Medicine and Community Health Department, mainly managing adults with diabetes, assisting with medication recommendations and helping patients find lower cost, effective and safe medications.

The speakers will cover:

• • Changes that occur with aging that affect how medications can impact the brain
  • What medications increase the risk of worsening cognitive function and behaviors
  • Common over-the-counter medications with cognitive side effects, and alternatives to use instead
  • Treating depression safely: nonpharmacological strategies and safer options
  • Treating Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia safely: non-pharmacological strategies and safer options.
  • Treating pain safely: what to avoid, different options
  • Treating incontinence safely: options for evaluation and non-pharmacological strategies to minimize risk of cognitive side effects
  • Questions you can ask the healthcare provider about your medications