global view constructed of white lines
Blog
Think Neuro Podcast Cover Episode 7 with Dr. Kaiser
September 16, 2020

Embracing Aging: Helping Our Loved Ones, Helping Ourselves | Dr. Scott Kaiser

by Anthony Effinger

The Think Neuro podcast from Pacific Neuroscience Institute takes you into the clinic, operating room and laboratory with doctors and surgeons who are tackling the most challenging brain diseases and disorders. Host: Anthony Effinger

Subscribe: Google Podcasts | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Simplecast

Watch: YouTube

Episode 7: Show Notes

Dr. Scott Kaiser is a rare breed, and he shouldn’t be. He’s a geriatrician. There are only 7,000 of them in the U.S., even though 10,000 Americans are turning 65 every day.

Part of the reason: Gerontology typically doesn’t pay as well as other specialties, so it often attracts people who are purely committed to the practice, like Dr. Kaiser. He loves his work because there is so much he can do for his patients, and so much they can do for themselves.

Want to remain healthy in brain and body for years to come?

Here are the magic bullets of aging:

  • Sleep
  • Exercise
  • A good diet
  • An active social life
  • Creativity
  • A strong sense of purpose
  • Good primary care

What about diet?
“When you’re in your produce aisle, you’re basically hunting for your medicine,” Dr. Kaiser says. “Green leafy vegetables have compounds that protect them from sun damage as they grow. They protect us as we age, too.”

Exercise?
The only thing better than a kale salad for aging might be a vigorous dance class, he says. It challenges us mentally and physically. “Exercise is the closest thing we have to a miracle drug for brain health,” Dr. Kaiser says. “It’s unbelievable.”

And get this!
Having a positive attitude about getting older is a powerful tool. This episode will almost certainly help with that.

Take a listen to Dr. Kaiser and with his tried and true clinical knowledge on healthy aging, you might just get excited about getting older, rather than dreading it.

About Dr. Kaiser

Scott A. Kaiser, MD

Dr. Scott Kaiser, a board-certified family physician and geriatrician, is the Director of Geriatric Cognitive Health and provides specialty geriatric medical consultations at the Pacific Brain Health Center. Focused on the needs of older patients, he works with his colleagues to provide an integrated and holistic approach to their cognitive challenges. With this “whole person” approach, Dr. Kaiser works to connect patients and their families with a broad range of resources to support their overall health and well being.

More Information

Visit the Pacific Brain Health Center or call 310-582-7641.

Check Out More Think Neuro Podcast Episodes

About the Author

Anthony Effinger

Anthony Effinger

Think Neuro's host is Anthony Effinger, an award-winning journalist who is fascinated with neuroscience and the workings of the brain. Anthony spent 24 years at Bloomberg News, where he covered all aspects of finance, with forays into science and health. In 2006, the Association of Health Care Journalists awarded him first prize for Playing the Odds, an in-depth piece on the changing strategies used to treat prostate cancer. These days, he is a staff writer at Willamette Week, a Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper in Portland, Oregon, where he lives with his wife and two children.

Last updated: November 24th, 2020