The Geropsychology Podcast Lindsey Jacobs, PhD, MSPH

In this episode of our COVID-19 mini-series, we interview Dr. Tara McBride Afonso about telemental health. Tune in to hear about ethical and legal considerations for providing psychological services via telehealth, as well as practical tips for providing quality care and ensuring your older client has a good experience with telemental health. After our interview with Dr. McBride Afonso, we discuss several excellent resources that are included in the show notes.

In this episode of our COVID-19 mini-series, we focus on racial and ethnic health disparities and discrimination related to COVID-19. Lindsey and Rachel discuss the socioeconomic roots of the stark health inequities across ethnic identities in the United States and how these disparities are reflected in COVID data. We explain how recent changes in COVID data collection may impact public perception of the virus’ spread across communities.

In this episode of our COVID-19 mini-series, we interview Dr. Eleanor Feldman Barbera, who discusses what it has been like to work in long term care in New York City during the coronavirus outbreak. Tune in to learn about her extraordinary work, creative clinical strategies, lessons that she and her team have learned throughout the pandemic, and the reason she wears a disco ball hat at work.

In this second episode of our COVID-19 mini-series, we begin to explore health disparities and discrimination related to the pandemic. Because there is so much to talk about on this issue, we will be examining COVID-19 health inequities across multiple episodes in the mini-series. Today we focus on ageism. Lindsey shares evidenced-based research to help explain exactly why older adults are disproportionately affected by COVID-19. Rachel learns about the surprising superpower of supercentenarians. And, Rachel and Lindsey discuss ageism embedded in the news and social media, and even in vaccine trials related to COVID-19.

Stay tuned for our next episode on COVID-related health disparities in racial and ethnic minorities, where we dive deeper into the intersection of chronic disease, mental health, racism, poverty, and trauma.

Welcome to the first episode of 2020! This is the first episode of our COVID-19 mini-series. In this episode, I welcome my new co-host, Dr. Rachel Weiskittle. We talk about our experience with adjusting to policy and practice changes related to the pandemic, including providing psychotherapy via telehealth to older adults, and we discuss common themes of psychosocial concerns older adults may present with during this difficult time. In the last half of the episode, Dr. Weiskittle describes a COVID-19 telehealth support group she co-developed with Dr. Michelle Mlinac (see episode 1, Careers in Geropsychology: Home Based Primary Care, for Dr. Mlinac’s bio), and we share information about invaluable COVID-19 related resources for clinicians, older adults, and family members.

In this episode, Dr. Nancy Pachana joins me to talk about clinical geropsychology on an international stage. Her wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm for this topic will pique your interest and inspire you to consider geropsychology on a global level in your clinical, scholarly, and professional endeavors. Dr. Pachana has also graciously extended an invitation for individuals to contact her if they have an interest in this area and are seeking mentorship. Email Dr. Pachana at n.pachana@psy.uq.edu.au.