Housed within the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, the Barbara and Maurice Deane Healthy Brain Initiative is a collaborative effort to help people living with cognitive and behavioral symptoms achieve the best possible quality of life for themselves, their families, and their caregivers. We also strive to assist people with no brain disorders to engage in healthy lifestyles and to decrease their risk for brain disease. The Deane HBI is interdisciplinary and involves three of Mount Sinai’s departments: the Brookdale Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, the Estelle and Daniel Maggin Department of Neurology, and the Department of Psychiatry. We also collaborate with primary care physicians in the Department of Medicine.
Our Barbara and Maurice Deane Center for Wellness and Cognitive Health (the Deane Center) within the Deane Healthy Brain Initiative is designed to identify and address the diverse medical, social service, and educational needs of—and provide seamless coordination of care for—three groups:
- Adults who want to decrease their risk for brain disorders
- Patients experiencing cognitive or behavioral symptoms, such as but not exclusive to dementia
- Family caregivers who need further support to care for their loved ones and themselves
One of the Deane Center’s primary objectives is to direct all individuals with cognitive and behavioral complaints, through a strong organizational structure and extensive screening process, to the appropriate channels of assessment and care. Within the Deane Center, we have established cross-departmental collaborations among neurology, geriatrics, and psychiatry experts, and we have developed systems of coordinated clinical care to provide advanced care, connecting the key clinical points for patient observation, screening, and treatment. The result is a single portal of entry for any patient or caregiver affected by cognitive or behavioral disorders, as well as adults looking to maintain their brain health.
Our interdisciplinary team encompasses:
- Neurologists
- Geriatricians
- Geriatric psychiatrists
- Psychiatrists
- Primary care physicians
- Nurses
- Social workers
- Psychologists
- Social service agency partners
- Care navigators
- Administrators
When appropriate, we also bring in expert physical therapists, nutritionists, and pharmacists. Our team meets regularly to discuss individualized treatment strategies and to help guide patients and loved ones to Mount Sinai Health System and community resources in an ongoing fashion, recognizing that needs and care plans may change over time.