Dr. Thomas Tannou, Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal: Dementia Research is Informing New Approaches to Care

Episode 115 October 15, 2025 00:34:56
Dr. Thomas Tannou, Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal: Dementia Research is Informing New Approaches to Care
WorkforceRx
Dr. Thomas Tannou, Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal: Dementia Research is Informing New Approaches to Care

Oct 15 2025 | 00:34:56

/

Show Notes

Among the knotty issues that dementia forces on family caregivers is when to know if their loved one with the disorder is in need of in-home supports and ultimately, when moving to a skilled facility is warranted. Often making those decisions more difficult is a loss of self-awareness caused by the disease, which can lead to rejection of needed services. As geriatrician and dementia researcher Dr. Thomas Tannou puts it, “If you forget that you forget, you will not be aware that you need to go on a path to be supported.” The impact of self-perception disorders on aging in place and the capacity of older people living with dementia is the focus of Dr. Tannou’s research at the Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal, and it has led him to advocate for a reframing of Alzheimer’s not just as a disease of memory, but an inability to adapt to new circumstances. That distinction in turn, he says, should trigger a reconsideration of the wisdom of aging in place in favor of relocating people when they can still learn new routines and maintain social connections. Join WorkforceRx host and Futuro Health CEO Van Ton-Quinlivan for a deeply informative and wide ranging discussion of related issues such as overlooked early warning signs of dementia, how clinically-informed technology can support independent living, balancing safety with dignity as we support those with dementia, and the workforce implications of a relentless increase in people needing dementia care.

Other Episodes

Episode 114

September 24, 2025 00:25:29
Episode Cover

Dana Stephenson, Co-Founder and CEO of Riipen: How Colleges and Employers Can Scale Work-Based Learning

Could earning a traditional undergraduate degree actually hurt your chances of getting hired? A 2024 survey from Hult International Business School suggests as much,...

Listen

Episode 5

October 05, 2020 00:23:40
Episode Cover

Dr. Rishi Manchanda, CEO of HealthBegins: Adding Trusted Community Voices to Healthcare

You can’t have an effective response to public health challenges without putting racial and social equity at the center of your approach, and one...

Listen

Episode 100

February 12, 2025 00:31:07
Episode Cover

Dr. Joanne Spetz, Director, Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies at UCSF: Where Futuro Health Fits in the Workforce Training Landscape

To mark the fifth year of our founding and the 100th episode of WorkforceRx, we've tapped a very special member of the Futuro Health...

Listen