Lifestyle changes, memory care shape Alzheimer’s support

In Brief:

With approximately one in eight elderly Long Islanders diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, treatments for this progressively debilitating disease are essential.

And as the population ages, yet even more people will be diagnosed with dementia and/or Alzheimer’s and require memory care services either at home or in a group living facility, making services and treatment for people with cognitive impairment more vital than ever.

Improving outcomes with lifestyle change

Providing health insurance coverage for 3 million New Yorkers, EmblemHealth continually strives to bring evidence-based, holistic care to the communities it serves, notes Daniel Knecht, the company’s chief medical officer.

Currently, EmblemHealth is partnering with Dr. Dean Ornish, a lifestyle medicine pioneer, and CookUnity, which prepares home-delivered meal kits. The pilot program—which follows Ornish’s research demonstrating improved health outcomes with intensive lifestyle changes—is designed for those diagnosed with early Alzheimer’s disease.

According to Knecht, Ornish has found that diet, exercise, stress management and social connectedness–when adhered to by patients with early stage Alzheimer’s or memory loss—significantly changes the trajectory of the condition. Further, Ornish has done clinical studies that show that people on this kind of diet have reduced symptoms of memory loss, experience less of a foggy mind and have more energy through the day.

Knecht added that the U.S. POINTER Study (conducted by the Alzheimer’s Association), demonstrated that a similar approach to lifestyle changes can reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s in the high-risk population.

For several years, the medical community viewed Alzheimer’s as a fixed, chronic and ultimately fatal condition, not one impacted by lifestyle, notes Knecht .

“We’re starting to really understand that it [Alzheimer’s] is a chronic condition akin to diabetes or cardiovascular disease where there are many drivers that can cause or worsen Alzheimer’s,” he shared.

Knecht added that studies have shown that up to 45 percent of Alzheimer’s cases are avoidable by embracing a healthy lifestyle.

“This is incredibly groundbreaking to have a health plan to advance access to a holistic lifestyle program for cognitive health. And we’re also using our clinics and our neighborhood care centers to bring this program to life,” he said. “We’re hopeful that the information and data will demonstrate efficacy to a point where we’ll just cover this more broadly.”

Another aspect of Emblem Health’s pilot program entails exercise, Tai chi, mindfulness and meditation–activities offered at their 15 neighborhood care centers, many of them in underserved communities, according to Knecht.

Because food is highly personal and has an important cultural aspect to it, the company wanted to “make sure we were bringing culturally relevant, delicious food that certainly aligns with the guidelines Dr. Ornish has set out and top quality,” Knecht said. “That’s where CookUnity fits in.”

According to Bruno Didier, head of CookUnity Business, the pilot program— which is geared for up to 150 patients—is set to commence on Oct. 22.

He says it will be a plant-based diet, which will consist of three daily meals, absent of sugar, salt, oil, dairy and meat.

“It was a very interesting challenge for  the chefs to come up with recipes that would adhere to the diet,” Didier added.

Memory care ‘neighborhood’

A 20-bed memory care “neighborhood,” The Grove is the newest part of Jefferson’s Ferry’s life plan community.

Set up in a circular pattern, The Grove is a ground floor unit where residents live in a more homelike setting, with access to a courtyard and an open kitchen. Group programming includes music and art, cooking classes, pet therapy, aromatherapy and virtual reality.

“Grove activities are specifically tailored to the interests and abilities of the residents, including smaller, more intimate activities that encourage greater opportunities for meaningful and engaged participation.” said Anthony Comerford, vice president of health services/administrator for the South Setauket facility.

To ensure the safety of residents, The Grove is a standalone unit where all activities are conducted within the neighborhood, according to Comerford.

“An enclosed garden provides an additional safe space for enjoying outdoor activities. such as gardening, or for just enjoying fresh air and sunshine,” Comerford said. “The residents love spending time outdoors.”

Secure unit and community programs

Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care and Rehabilitation in New Hyde Park has a secured, high acuity 42-bed memory care unit for those who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or dementia.

“The programming is tailored to people with dementia, and we’re able to successfully maintain people when, unfortunately, they’ve had a diagnosis of dementia,” said Michael Rosenblut, Parker Jewish president
and CEO.

Rosenblut adds that for the most part, residents “may have Alzheimer’s or dementia and another related illness.”

The patients, who are medically managed by physicians, nurses, social workers and nurse’s aides, receive specialized programming through Parker’s recreational department.

Parker Jewish also operates the “Willing Hearts Helpful Hands” community-based program where people caring for their loved ones at home can get relief outside of their homes at memory cafes with live entertainment in Queens, Nassau and Suffolk counties. Since its inception in 2016, the program has engaged with almost 11,000 caregivers and their care recipients throughout Long Island.

“We have one patient from years ago who participated in that program, I’ll always remember the wife said to us, she hadn’t been out with her husband—the last family wedding was 20 years earlier—even though he has dementia, she hadn’t been dancing with him in 20 years, and now she was dancing with him,” Rosenblut said.

In July, Parker Jewish introduced another community-based program—GUIDE (Guiding an Improved  Dementia Experience), which offers caregiver support, education and respite, medication management, and home visits and assessments.