Dr. Ruth’s Guide for the Alzheimer’s Caregiver

Guest Bio: Ruth Wesheimer

Dr. Ruth K. Westheimer is one of America's best-known names in relationship therapy. Widely known for her honest and humane approach to human sexuality, Westheimer pioneered frank sex advice on radio with her program Sexually Speaking, which premiered in 1980 on WYNY in New York.

Since then Westheimer has become America's favorite sex expert, giving help to millions through radio, television, newspapers, magazines, books and her website, DrRuth.com.

Born in Germany in 1928, Westheimer was sent to an orphanage in Switzerland at age 10 to escape the Holocaust. At 17 she immigrated to Israel, where she fought as a scout and sniper for the Haganah. She was seriously wounded in 1948 during the Israeli War of Independence.

In 1950, Westheimer moved to France, where she studied psychology at the Sorbonne. In 1956, she immigrated to the United States. Westheimer received a master's degree in sociology from the New School for Social Research and a doctorate of education from Columbia University, and studied human sexuality under Dr. Helen Singer Kaplan at New York Hospital-Cornell University Medical Center.

Dr. Westheimer has taught at New York Hospital-Cornell University Medical Center, Lehman College, Brooklyn College, Adelphi University, Columbia University and West Point.

She is currently an adjunct professor at New York University and a fellow of Calhoun College at Yale, Butler College at Princeton and the New York Academy of Medicine.

Dr. Westheimer has her own private practice in New York and lectures worldwide. She is the author of over 35 books, including Dr. Ruth's Sex After 50 (Quill Driver Books, 2005).