Butler Hospital leads research, education and community outreach on Alzheimer’s

Butler Hospital in Providence, R.I., is leading research studies on prevention, diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's disease and related dementia through its multifaceted Memory and Aging Program (MAP). It’s an urgent health concern as Alzheimer’s currently has no cure.

Nearly 7 million people in America are living with Alzheimer’s, the most common cause of dementia. Though the disease is not a normal part of aging, the greatest known risk factor is increasing age. It’s estimated that 1 in 3 adults over age 65 dies with Alzheimer’s or another dementia, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.

Part of MAP at Butler Hospital is a prevention registry for people with normal memory or mild memory loss interested in participating in a research study or clinical trial. Several active studies on preventing and treating Alzheimer’s are open for enrollment, led by MAP’s team of neurologists, neuropsychologists, research and clinical nurses, interns and post-doctoral fellows, and research assistants.

In addition, MAP is expanding its Spanish-language outreach initiatives. Hispanic people are 1.5 times more likely to develop Alzheimer's compared to non-Hispanic white individuals. MAP partners with local health clinics and community centers to offer memory screenings, educational programs on brain health and aging, and research opportunities to historically marginalized communities. Presentations and information are offered in English and Spanish.

To further increase outreach, MAP recently implemented an advance translation system that offers a wider range of languages and improved translations.

Learn more about MAP and its community outreach efforts.