Behavioral and cognitive conditions include but are not limited to Alzheimer’s disease and other related disorders. These conditions present some of the greatest health care concerns of our time, affecting patients, their loved ones, and their communities. The Alzheimer’s Association estimates that more than six million Americans are living with dementia and they are cared for by about 11 million caregivers. These numbers are projected to double by 2050.
The Barbara and Maurice Deane Healthy Brain Initiative at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is an integrated, cross-departmental service that provides a single portal of entry for any older adult with cognitive or behavioral concerns, such as memory loss, difficulty speaking, or personality changes, who seeks to increase their health span and quality of life. We are also here for family caregivers who need an added layer of support; and for physicians caring for patients with such symptoms. The program is designed to provide a global interdisciplinary approach to care for persons living with dementia and other related disorders. We also support those in the growing population of older adults who have healthy brains and bodies.
Our innovative approach brings together a community of clinicians, nurses, social services, care navigators, advocacy agencies, patients, and family members—both within the Mount Sinai Health System and throughout the community at large—to focus on preserving healthy brain function and caring for those living with cognitive and behavioral conditions. Scientists working under the Deane HBI also conduct research to explore how the brain changes with age, create novel approaches to preserve brain health and increase our health span and quality of life, and develop new programs to more effectively care for persons living with cognitive and behavioral disorders, while supporting their families and loved ones.
Transformative clinical and translational research are an integral part of the Deane HBI’s efforts, so that patients and their families can reap the benefits of breakthrough discoveries as soon as they are made. Our goal is to make dementia a disease of the past.