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A Cognitive Impairment Program for Patients and Caregivers
 
Miami Jewish Health Systems, a long-time leader in all senior issues from healthcare to Alzheimer’s research, opens the Girsh Memory Enrichment Institute, a one-of-a-kind comprehensive program for individuals with cognitive impairment and their caregivers. This new program, currently enrolling patients, is designed to help delay the progression of memory disorders and provide strategies for memory improvement. It includes a variety of activities tailored to each patient’s unique strengths, while encouraging him or her to grow and overcome challenges.
 
This program was made possible due to a generous donation given by The Marilyn L. and Myers Girsh Foundation to Miami Jewish Health Systems. As the program grows it will also foster a number of educational initiatives to be brought out into the community to promote our philosophy of building on key age-related strengths, even in the face of cognitive impairment or caregiver burden.
 
Our team understands the unique circumstances faced by family members tending to individuals with cognitive impairment. We offer sensory, physical and intellectual enrichment through our specialized program. The patient-education and caregiver-training programs are led by Geriatric Neuropsychologists, Dr. Amina Rivero and Dr. Mairelys Martinez, who both have expertise in memory disorders, while overseen by the Director of Mental Health and Clinical Research at Miami Jewish Health Systems, Marc Agronin, M.D., a graduate of Harvard University and Yale Medical School.
 
The Girsh Memory Enrichment Institute Program Activities feature:
Lifestyle, Therapy and Wellness
• Music and Art Therapy
• Creative Writing and Memory Retention Therapy
• Lectures, Reading, Discussions and Mentally Stimulating Games
• Emotional Wellness Exercises
• Guided Discussions and Storytelling
• Brain-Healthy Food Education
• Physical Fitness Activities, such as Tai Chi and Yoga
Caregiver Support
• Monthly Caregiving Support Groups
• Caregiver Academy to provide education and training in working with cognitive impairment
Education and Community Lectures
• Memory Changes As We Age: What’s Normal? What’s Not?
• How We Age: Problems and Potential
• The Future of Alzheimer’s Disease
Program Schedule
Each program lasts 12 weeks and classes are open to 10-15 individuals per session. Programs are available four semesters per year.
• Patient Program: Mondays and Wednesdays, 12-3 p.m.
• Caregiver Program: Thursdays, 1-3 p.m.