Amid ongoing conversations about the United States presidential race, a recurring topic has been the cognitive capacity of candidates and some speculation about “cognitive decline” — but what does this mean in terms of a person’s health?
As a geriatrician and palliative medicine physician, Hillary Lum, MD, PhD, has spent her career working to better the lives of older adults and their families, often raising awareness about what cognitive decline can look like and when it is concerning. She is currently involved in the Colorado Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias State Plan, a state initiative to improve awareness and actions to address dementia in Colorado, specifically looking at how to build a competent workforce related to Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
We recently sat down with Lum, an associate professor in the Division of Geriatric Medicine at the University of Colorado Department of Medicine, to talk about what cognitive decline is, symptoms to look out for, and how people can best protect their brain health.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.