Saint Mary’s Alzheimer’s Disease and Memory Disorders Program
To schedule a consultation, please call us at 616-752-5432, or toll-free at 877-752-5432.
The Saint Mary’s Alzheimer’s Disease and Memory Disorders Program provides a comprehensive team approach to problems associated with aging and memory loss.
Led by Dr. Kevin Foley, medical director, the program uses the combined skills of a multidisciplinary team: geriatrician, neuropsychologist, nurse, social worker, pharmacist and other support services (such as Spanish language volunteers and Alzheimer’s Association volunteers), the program’s goal is to make an early and accurate diagnosis for each patient.
West Michigan’s only dedicated Alzheimer’s center
Saint Mary’s Alzheimer’s Disease and Memory Disorders Program is West Michigan’s only full-time regional center dedicated to Alzheimer’s disease and other memory disorders. The program draws upon the advanced technological base of the hospital’s Neuroscience Division.
The program places all services – consult rooms, radiology, lab and pharmacy – in one convenient location. A patient can receive blood work, a CT or MRI scan, and his or her prescription without having to leave the Saint Mary’s campus. Diagnostic skill
The memory disorders program at Saint Mary’s offers specialized outpatient consultation services. Our staff handles the history and pre-screening of a patient prior to their initial appointment with a Saint Mary’s physician. It is often possible to have a definitive diagnosis of whether a patient has Alzheimer’s disease, or another type of memory disorder, within one or two visits.
Initial screening for cognitive impairment is done with a variety of tests. The staff physician or neuropsychologist, if necessary, handles further intensive testing.
 Dr. Kevin Foley: ‘We try to empower patients’
What makes Saint Mary’s approach to memory disorders different? According to Kevin T. Foley, M.D., F.A.C.P., it’s the ability to address the disorder from multiple angles.
“We believe in a multidisciplinary, holistic approach to care,” says Dr. Foley, a staff physician at Saint Mary’s who serves as the medical director for the Alzheimer’s Disease and Memory Disorders Program.
“We consider each patient’s physical and emotional needs, taking into account the role of their family and caregivers as well,” says Dr. Foley. “We try to empower them to take an active role in decision-making and managing their illness, including providing the connections for outside support services in their community.”
Those connections can include support groups, caregiver respite programs, home care and transportation/driving services.
At Saint Mary’s, patients with memory disorders can count on our comprehensive and integrated approach to medicine. |
Complementary therapies help mind and body
In conjunction with The Wege Institute at Saint Mary’s, the Alzheimer’s Disease and Memory Disorders Program actively integrates complementary therapies into patients’ overall treatment program. These therapies provide a new dimension of care for Alzheimer’s patients, with healing benefits for mind, spirit and body.
We augment traditional medical treatment with several complementary therapies. Among the complementary therapies that have been found to benefit Alzheimer’s patients are acupuncture, manual therapy, massage therapy, music therapy, and neurofeedback.
Learn more about how complementary therapies facilitate healing and provide profound benefits to patients with neurological disorders.
Our philosophy of care
At Saint Mary’s, the primary goal for Alzheimer’s patients is to delay the progression of the disease, help the patient maintain the ability to function independently, and help improve their quality of life.
“The earlier we get a diagnosis, the more effective we can be in managing the progression of Alzheimer’s or other memory disorders,” says Dr. Foley. “We want them to remain optimistic. We make sure people don’t feel that all is lost when they receive a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s.”
Learn more about Alzheimer’s disease.
Dr. Kevin Foley is ‘extremely optimistic’ about the future of Alzheimer’s treatment.
For more information, or to schedule a consultation, please call us at 616-752-5432, or toll-free at 877-752-5432. |
