The Einstein-Montefiore Division of Geriatrics multidisciplinary team (geriatricians, nurse practitioners, social workers, and geropsychiatrists) specializes in the medical and psychosocial evaluation and ongoing care of older adults who have dementia or Alzheimer's Disease.
A caring, family-centered approach is used by this experienced team to assess memory and cognition, depression, function, and related issues that may affect patients and their families. Evaluation, ongoing care and advance care planning for the long term is provided – not simply a diagnosis.
Frequent issues facing families which are addressed include:
- How do we get help?
- How do we manage our loved one's behavior?
- How should we handle decision-making – medical, financial and legal?
- What should we do when a patient starts wandering at night?
- Should we consider new drugs and clinical trials?
Information is provided to assist patients and their families about organizations and programs in their community. Several ongoing research initiatives and clinical trials take place in the program, including an NIH-funded study of dementia predictors.