Holy Name Press Releases

Holy Name Medical Center's Asian Health Services Announces New Dementia Center and Mental Health Expo

Mental Health Expo on March 12 will offer free screenings, consultations and education for Korean patients and families

February 19, 2016

Holy Name Medical Center's (HNMC) Asian Health Services (AHS) announces the creation of the Asian Dementia Center (ADC). The program will provide screenings and comprehensive diagnostics for those who think they or family members may be experiencing the onset of dementia as well as early intervention and treatment options, care coordination, and education for patients who have the disease. Support services for families and caretakers will also be offered. In addition, AHS will be hosting a Mental Health Expo for the Korean community on Saturday, March 12 from 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM at Holy Name Medical Center, 718 Teaneck Road, Teaneck, NJ 07666.

What: Mental Health Expo: Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment of Dementia

Where: Holy Name Medical Center, Marian Hall; 718 Teaneck Road, Teaneck, NJ

Who: Presentations [In Korean] by Philip Whang, MD, Geriatric Psychiatrist; Yun-beom Choi, Neurologist; Dongsoo Kim, Clinical Neuropsychologist; Sung-Won Lee, MD,  Internal Medicine Specialist

When: Saturday, March 12, 2016 - 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM To register, call Asian Health Services 201-833-3399.

The ADC was developed in response to the increasing number of patients with Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and related dementias in the aging Asian American population in New Jersey. Alzheimer's presents additional challenges due to the stigma and shame associated with the disease in many Asian American communities.

"Holy Name has become a national model in delivering culturally sensitive medical services for people of all traditions," said Michael Maron, President and CEO of Holy Name Medical Center. "We recognize the challenges Asian families affected by dementia, and Alzheimer's in particular, may be facing and we are pleased to help individuals and families bridge language and cultural barriers to get the mental health services they need."

Since 2011, Holy Name's Asian Health Services has hosted a Mental Health Expo for the Korean community, which has attracted hundreds of participants over the last 5 years.

"We believe that early detection and treatment are key in helping to slow the progression of the disease and manage dementia-related issues," says Kyung Hee Choi, Vice President, Asian Health Services, Holy Name Medical Center. "The Asian Dementia Center provides a broad spectrum of services for patients and their families."