The Alzheimer's Disease Assistance Center began as a way to reach out to patients at risk of not receiving proper care because of barriers, especially language. The Center conducts bilingual programs throughout New York City to provide education on Alzheimer's disease and inform patients and caregivers of available medical services. The New York State Department of Health funds the Center. A social worker from the Center conducts bilingual educational programs throughout the City, with a special focus on the predominantly Spanish-speaking community of East Harlem. Working on the premise that the only way to effectively reach out to people is to go to them, the program works closely with community centers, community boards, clergy and other community leaders to conduct lectures at community centers, health fairs and anywhere else the target audience can be reached.
Lectures focus on symptoms of dementia and methods for coping with the illness.
The social worker explains treatment options and informs participants of places they can go in the community to seek help and medical care, including the Geriatric Psychiatry Clinic at Mount Sinai. The aim is to ensure that this previously underserved population knows that there are places they can go for care. Thousands of people have attended lectures and the response has been overwhelmingly enthusiastic. Participants are appreciative of the opportunity to learn about memory disorders and to learn that when they come to the Clinic for care, there will be people who speak their language. The increase in Spanish-speaking patients in the Clinic has led to the hiring of additional bilingual staff.