Occupational therapist Teepa Snow has made it her mission to show dementia in a positive light. “Dementia is a syndrome, not a single condition,” Teepa says. “It can be a primary or secondary issue, can happen at any age, and has many causes and forms.”

UNC Geriatrics Specialty Clinic’s Social Worker Bryan Godfrey speaks with WRAL’s Liisa Ogburn on why older adults seek primary care providers with geriatrics expertise. “Our providers are physicians with certifications in internal or family medicine, but they also have specialized training in geriatrics. This means they are especially attuned to the challenges older adults often face and particularly skilled in helping patients and families prepare for the road ahead.”

“Geriatricians take a holistic view of the patient. We provide care that is focused on the functional activities of daily living. A patient’s chronological age is not important, their functional age is what matters. What can people do? What do they want and need to do?” Read more