St. Anthony's Hospital Opens Memory Disorders Center with an Emphasis on Comprehensive Support

Center will coordinate diagnosis, treatment, and support for patients, caregivers

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., (July 10, 2014) - St. Anthony’s Hospital continues its mission of meeting the needs of the community by opening a new Memory Disorders Center. St. Anthony’s vision is to offer a world-class center to help families and caregivers navigate through the complexities that a memory disorder diagnosis can bring.

Memory disorders are a group of conditions or diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia while others could be the result of vascular changes. Some conditions affect related cognitive and brain abilities.

The Memory Disorders Center at St. Anthony’s Hospital is designed to provide high-quality care, including assessment, diagnosis, treatment, education, and support. “Our goal is for the Memory Disorders Center to serve as a center of hope for patients and families dealing with a memory disorder,” said Bill Ulbricht, president of St. Anthony’s Hospital.

“We know that a memory disorder impacts not just the individual, but their family and caregivers as well,” said Veronica Clement, PhD, ABPP-CN, clinical director of neuropsychology and clinical director of the St. Anthony’s Memory Disorders Center. “What sets the Memory Disorders Center apart is our dedication to providing families and caregivers with education and support, such as counseling and referrals.”

The center will:

• Coordinate advanced diagnostic evaluations
• Evaluate patient needs, develop a treatment plan, navigate care and regularly follow patient progress through a memory disorders clinical pathway
• Provide support for family caregivers through education and training
• Develop and implement strategies for memory loss, cognitive deficits and/or functional impairment

“Patients with memory disorders can face challenges such as taking medicine accurately and having limited transportation, which can lead to safety concerns or worries about day-to-day activities,” Dr. Clement said. “Our team specializes in recognizing and identifying these concerns, and identifying resources that can help.”

A feature of the center is a licensed clinical social worker who will meet with patients and their families to develop an individual care plan that will take into account medical treatment, as well as nutrition, physical care, social interaction and psychological needs. “Our focus is to work to help patients and their families at any point on their journey with memory and cognitive loss,” said Dr. Clement.

Patients, families, and caregivers also will have access to an education resource library including online access to learn more about the disease and the issues it poses for patients, families, and caregivers. Referrals to community services will be available. Within the next few months, St. Anthony’s Memory Disorders Center will offer support groups and classes for family caregivers.