An Alzheimer's Disease Research Center
The Penn Memory Center’s expert team of health professionals is dedicated to providing the highest standard of clinical care to patients. This quality care is difficult to find elsewhere in Philadelphia, and the number of PMC patients is increasing. We need your support to continue serving our growing patient community.
From our classic, evidence-based programs such as Caregiver Educational class and Memory Cafe to newer, trailblazing programs like Mindfulness & Meditation Class, Cognitive Comedy, and Healthy Aging Series, PMC is always growing and evolving to best serve its families and build community. These important programs rely on philanthropic support to keep them running and free-to-all.
Research moves us closer to a treatment and to a better future for patients and their loved ones. At PMC, we conduct a variety of research — from clinical trials testing novel drugs to studies about patient and caregiver experiences. Our dedicated participants and funding make this research possible.
In collaboration with our community partners, PMC provides health education, services, research, and job opportunities to the West Philadelphia community in effort to create more equitable health outcomes. This work relies on the funding of our generous supporters.
Oct. 3 marks the start of the Penn Memory Center’s annual fundraiser, A Celebration of Hope! This is an asynchronous virtual event that features an online auction. The auction will open for bidding on Oct. 5 at 12 p.m. and close on Oct. 8 at 12 p.m. Click here to register for our auction.
A Celebration of Hope welcome video
“Sharon is an exceptional practitioner and colleague,” said PMC Executive Director Felicia Greenfield, MSW, LCSW. “She consistently goes above and beyond to care for our patients and their families.”
Best’s primary duty was assisting the team of neurologists, geriatricians, social workers, and neuropsychologists in developing innovative approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
“A curious professional, Sharon delighted in challenging herself to learn new things and she enthusiastically shared her knowledge with others,” said Greenfield.
Cognitive Comedy is a free improv comedy workshop for people with cognitive impairment and their loved ones. Participants can get out of their own heads and experience “group mind” while learning about improv comedy. This program starts on September 21. Register for Cognitive Comedy.
Penn Memory Center Co-director Jason Karlawish, MD, will be the featured speaker at the Mayo Clinic’s first Conference on Brain Health and Dementia. The Conference will take place October 29 from 10:15 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. EST. The Conference will recognize all that people who live with dementia and their families have experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, and experts will cover the latest on brain health and dementia research.
Dr. Jason Karlawish and Dr. Emily Largent offer their takes on using driving performance and credit scores to predict the onset of dementia. Should entities like auto insurance companies have access to test results of these predictors? Dr. Largent weighs in.
By Cait Kearney
“PMC is a wonderful organization, and having been a part of helping advance its mission has been a rewarding experience I will cherish forever,” Johnston Esparza said.
Johnston Esparza joined PMC as a clinical research coordinator for the REVEAL-SCAN Study (Risk Evaluation and Education of Alzheimer’s Disease: The Study of Communicating Amyloid Neuroimaging), a project investigating the impact of learning one’s personal risk of having Alzheimer’s disease on thinking and health behaviors.
“Melissa is a stellar coordinator. She stepped into a study that was in distress and quickly turned it around and into a great scientific success,” said Jason Karlawish, MD, co-director of PMC and co-principal investigator of the REVEAL-SCAN Study.