Dear Friends,
 As the cold winter fades from memory and the world comes to life with the promise of
spring, the New York City Chapter renews our commitment to provide compassionate care.
Our doors are always open to anyone affected by dementia—not just Alzheimer’s disease. From vascular dementia and Parkinson’s related dementias, to the lesser known Pick’s Disease and Dementia with Lewy Body, hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers struggle every day with the devastating impact of these diseases. We hope that our Chapter is a place where every member
| of our community will feel at home. A place to get information and support, to get help making plans for the future, and, above all, a place to feel safe. |
Lou-Ellen Barkan
President & CEO |
Our new, expanded, state-of-the-art headquarters—on the 4th floor at 360 Lexington Avenue—enable us to expand capacity and services, and offer the refuge of our professional,
caring environment to all New Yorkers who need our help. For the first time,we can hold
simultaneous education and training sessions, support group meetings, and conferences with
our many community partners. Our new care consultation room provides a quiet space
where individuals and families can meet privately with a social worker in comfort and feel
a real sense of security.
| The Chapter’s growth has also allowed us to expand our Early Stage Programs under the direction of Paulette Michaud, Manager of Early Stage Services. In addition to short-term
counseling,weekly support groups, our annual Early Stage Forum, cultural outings and ongoing
family support, we now offer an exciting new program called “MemoryWorks” for
people with Mild Cognitive Impairment and early-stage dementia. |
“My father and great grandmother suffered with dementia. I want
to know if I am at risk.” |
|
The program provides
an opportunity to socialize and engage in mentally stimulating activities. Shortly we will
begin a clinical evaluation of the program’s outcomes and hope to have reports for our community
by next year. In 2007, we also anticipate launching a “Volunteer-Buddy” Program,
an expanded website and an annual “Getting to Know You” event for our early stage clients.
Finally, in an effort to incent others to follow our lead, I enrolled in a clinical trial and will
be reporting regularly on my experiences as a research participant. My goal is to “walk the
talk” that clinical trials are an opportunity for all of us to donate something of ourselves in
the effort to find effective treatments and a cure for Alzheimer’s disease.
In addition, my father and great grandmother suffered with dementia. I want to know if
I am at risk. I know that enrolling in a scientific study when the brain is healthy is critically
important to researchers. I also want to de-mystify the process for all of us. At every step
along the way, I’ll document my experience, how I feel about it and the outcome.
We can make this journey together. If you are interested in signing up for a clinical trial,
look at the NYCARE section of the Newsletter and make a call to see if you
qualify for a study. And remind yourself that participation in clinical trials is true public s
ervice. Not all of us can join the Board of Directors or make large financial contributions,
but with a small investment of time and effort, each of us can participate—helping scientists
to move forward in their work.
In closing, I hope you’ll stop by our new offices. And, please, mark your calendars: our
3rd annual Alzheimer’s Awareness Day at Shea Stadium is on Tuesday, June 26th. I look
forward to sharing a box of peanuts and Cracker Jacks and thanking you for your interest in
our work.
— Lou-Ellen Barkan
President & CEO
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