Leslie Kernisan, M.D., Geriatrician
Caring.com Expert
Dr. Leslie Kernisan is a senior medical editor at Caring.com and a clinical instructor in the University of California, San Francisco, Division of Geriatrics. She provides housecalls and geriatric consultations in San Francisco (www.drlesliekernisan.net). She trained in internal medicine and geriatrics at UCSF and is a graduate of Princeton University and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. She's also a member of the American Geriatrics Society.
Dr. Kernisan has a master's in public health from U.C. Berkeley and has completed postgraduate work in epidemiology, biostatistics, and healthcare quality improvement. Her research on a popular quality of care measure was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2009.
Kernisan can be reached at drkernisan@caring.com.
Recently Published on Caring.com
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Household Safety Checklist — Mar 25, 2013Most people want to ensure that an older loved one's home is safe and free of hazards, but how do you know what needs to be done? Home safety assessments conducted by highl...
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Next Step in Care — Mar 22, 2013What It Is: Any time a frail senior has to make a transition, worry runs high. Whether you're moving a loved one from the hospital to a rehabilitation facility, a facility... -
Advance Planning for Healthcare Wishes — Feb 15, 2013You know it's important for your loved one to have a living will -- also known as an advance directive. If he or she should ever become incapacitated, you'll want a documen... -
The 2012 American Geriatrics Society Beers Criteria for Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use in Older Adults — Feb 15, 2013What the Beers Criteria Is Did you know that medications are one of the most common causes of falls and other serious medical events in older adults? This is because as pe... -
Symptoms of Atrial Fibrillation (A-fib) — Dec 28, 2012Worried that you or your loved one may be suffering from symptoms of atrial fibrillation? It's a reasonable concern: An estimated 3 million Americans have this common heart... -
Dementia, Broken Bone, and Hospitalization — Nov 28, 2012If your loved one with dementia must be hospitalized for a broken bone -- a common aftermath of an accidental fall -- make sure the treatment (and you) focus on three impor... -
Acute Coronary Syndrome — Oct 09, 2012Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is a medical term for chest pain or other symptoms brought on by suddenly reduced blood flow to the heart. The symptoms of ACS generally mean ... -
Cognitive Decline of Dementia — Oct 03, 2012Although it's unfortunately true that there's no cure for Alzheimer's disease or other forms of progressive dementia, there are concrete steps that you can take to try to s... -
Treatment of Melanoma Skin Cancer — Apr 30, 2012Melanoma is the least common form of skin cancer, but it's considered the most dangerous type. That's because melanomas tend to spread to other parts of the body, and once ... -
If you've been treated for skin cancer, you should have regular follow-up visits with your doctor to make sure that the cancer hasn't started to grow again at the same site... -
FAQ: How Is Skin Cancer Staged? — Apr 29, 2012Most skin cancers that require staging are melanomas. Although melanoma is the least common type of skin cancer, it's by far the most likely type to spread, and it's the c... -
Should I Be Screened for Skin Cancer? — Apr 29, 2012The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force doesn't currently recommend screening the general public for skin cancer. However, many experts recommend regular screening for skin... -
Skin Cancer: What to Know About the Three Main Types — Apr 29, 2012Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the U.S., with one in five Americans likely to be diagnosed at some point during his or her lifetime. Skin cancer can devel... -
Treatment Options for Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer — Apr 29, 2012Most skin cancers are nonmelanoma skin cancers, such as basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) or squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs). Although these skin cancers are quite common, with ... -
Even if you're not familiar with the term actinic keratosis, you've almost certainly seen one before, especially if you have anyone elderly and balding in the family. That'... -
6 Signs You Should See a Doctor About Possible Skin Cancer — Apr 27, 2012Worried about a suspicious-looking spot or mole on the skin? Wondering that it could be skin cancer? It's a reasonable concern to have, since skin cancer is the most common... -
4 Steps to a Skin Cancer Diagnosis — Apr 27, 2012Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the U.S., with one in five Americans likely to be diagnosed at some point during his or her lifetime. Here's how diagnosis ... -
Yes, atrial fibrillation is sometimes treated with a pacemaker. In some people whose A-fib can't be managed with medications, cardiologists may suggest a procedure that pe... -
FAQ: What Is Ablation? — Mar 28, 2012In cardiology, catheter ablation is a procedure used to treat certain kinds of arrhythmias (irregular heart rhythms). To perform an ablation, physicians thread a special ca... -
The signs of possible major bleeding due to a blood thinner such as warfarin, dabigatran, or rivaroxaban (brand names Coumadin, Pradaxa, and Xarelto) include these: Blood... -
FAQ: Should I Switch From Coumadin to Pradaxa? — Mar 28, 2012It depends. If you've been having difficulty managing your Coumadin (generic name warfarin) dosing, or if you and your doctor have been having trouble keeping your so-calle... -
Atrial Fibrillation (A-fib) and Anticoagulants: 4 Ways to Reduce Your Chance of Bleeding — Mar 23, 2012Anticoagulants, commonly referred to as "blood thinners," are medications that impair the body's ability to make clots. If you're living with a diagnosis of atrial fibrilla... -
Warfarin: 7 Ways to Keep Blood Levels in a Safe Range — Mar 22, 2012Many Americans take warfarin (brand name Coumadin) every day to make their blood thinner. Some are on the medication for three to nine months, for treatment of a blood clot... -
Atrial Fibrillation (A-fib) and Blood Thinners — Mar 22, 2012Most people with atrial fibrillation (commonly called A-fib) end up taking some kind of blood-thinning medication on a regular basis. That's because A-fib can substantially... -
Atrial fibrillation, also known as A-fib, is a common heart condition that causes an irregular heartbeat. When someone is first diagnosed with A-fib, doctors should check f...
