Ep. 19: VA Chief Talks Alzheimer’s | Shipping Cluster Bombs To Ukraine

* It’s now estimated that around 7 million people 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s dementia in the United States – a progressive disease that involves the deterioration of nerve cells in the brain, which in turn affects thoughts, memory, and language.  The Department of Veterans Affairs is committed to providing care and support to Veterans and their caregivers impacted by Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. In recognition of Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, Dr. Catherine Kelso, Deputy Executive Director of the VA Office of Geriatrics & Extended Care… of the Veterans Health Administration… joins us to discuss how the VA is paving the way for research and treatment.  *Care for Veterans with Alzheimer’s or dementia is provided throughout the full range of VA health care services. Depending on the Veteran's needs, services may include Home Based Primary Care, Homemaker and Home Health Aide, Respite Care, Adult Day Health Care, outpatient clinic, inpatient hospital, Nursing Home, Palliative Care, or Hospice Care. Caregiver Support is also an essential part of these services. For more information, you can visit VA.gov/geriatrics

* Most of us have heard of cluster bombs.  Last year the media extensively covered the Russian use of cluster bombs in Ukraine… condemning them as immoral and illegal.  Chalk it up to incompetence because the same Media generally accepted our use of cluster bombs across various wars.  But after sufficient financial lobbying, several Congress Members are now proposing to send cluster bombs to Ukraine … and the same media is completely silent.

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But, let’s break down what these cluster bombs are so you get the issue:  We’ll use the now-silent New York Times description: "Internationally banned cluster munitions” are “a variety of weapons — rockets, bombs, missiles, and artillery projectiles — that disperse lethal bomblets in midair over a wide area, hitting military targets and civilians alike.” And the Times noted that cluster bombs “kill so indiscriminately that they are banned under international law.”  If they’re banned under international law, then why would you send a bunch of them out internationally?  I’m not asking you to think. ‘Cause, If we all started thinking, there might be a big problem with the smoothness of the tennis game at the top.  Yet, by provoking thought, we can help people to understand the complex issues involved.

Let’s look at Democratic Congressman Adam Smith from Washington… who’s the ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee … said he’s “open to” America shipping cluster munitions to Ukraine.  Let me just say, It’s not bad enough with the collapsed Soviet-era dam having flooded a region of Ukraine…. But landmines are also being dislodged by the floodwaters, are n