Nathaniel Chin shares the inspiration behind his Alzheimer’s podcast
Every other week, Nathaniel Chin, MD, interviews experts about Alzheimer’s disease research, news and caregiver support for his podcast, Dementia Matters.
Recently, Chin had the chance to experience the other side of the mic when he was a guest on Causepods, a show that highlights people using podcasting to raise awareness for good causes.
“I stumbled into this field of geriatrics, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. I was trained on the West Coast, and I was a different type of physician when my father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. A diagnosis like that changes your life,” Chin said during his interview with Causepods founder and host, Mathew Passy. “I went into the field of geriatrics because I was personally motivated to do something about it. Even though there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, I felt I could still have an impact on my father’s disease, his course and future generations.”
Chin told Passy after taking a faculty position with the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and becoming an investigator in the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, he wanted to share news about the scientific discoveries taking place in Alzheimer’s disease research. The result was Dementia Matters, a resource where people can find trustworthy and reliable information about Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
Chin’s experience with his father’s Alzheimer’s disease gives him a unique perspective as both a physician and podcast host.
“When I’m looking for speakers for my podcast, or when interacting with my patients, I’m doing that both as a professional who studies [Alzheimer’s disease], and also as a family member who witnessed it,” he says. “Oftentimes I’ll say things to my guests that I interview, or my patients, in a way that catches them off guard because I know from experience what it’s like to watch a loved one change.”