Senior Living Residences Launches Innovative Nutrition Program

Posted on 09/14/2009
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Boston (September 14, 2009) - When asked, Americans rate Alzheimer’s disease as their second most-feared illness, following cancer. Currently, there are five million people living with this disease in the United States. Recent research suggests that diet may play an important role in the cause and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease, indicating that there may be something each of us can do to stave off this devastating illness.

For the past two years Senior Living Residences (SLR), a Boston-based company with a reputation as a leader in providing Alzheimer’s care to New England seniors, has been implementing a cognitively protective diet and nutrition program at its independent and assisted living communities. Following a research-based model of treatment and care and placing a strong emphasis on innovation, SLR is the first assisted living company in the nation to offer the Memory Preservation Nutrition® program in its communities.

The Memory Preservation Nutrition® program, developed by and implemented in conjunction with internationally recognized expert Nancy Emerson Lombardo, PhD, adjunct research assistant professor of neurology at the Boston University School of Medicine and president of Health Care Insights, LLC, is a unique evidence-based program incorporating foods and spices, specifically selected for their nutrient-rich properties and linked in research to healthy cognition, into everyday diet to improve overall brain health.

Integrating information from hundreds of studies looking at the connections between diet, cognitive health, aging, and Alzheimer’s disease and its related risk factors, the Memory Preservation Nutrition® program seeks to improve brain function, decrease the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, and slow down the progression of Alzheimer’s disease for an individual who has already been diagnosed.

In August, the Journal of the American Medical Association reported findings from a compelling study describing a direct connection between diet and cognitive health. One of the most comprehensive studies on diet and cognition to date, researchers found that individuals who follow a “Mediterranean-type diet” have a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. In the study, individuals who adhered to a Mediterranean diet had a 32-40 percent decreased risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease. In the same study, adherence to the diet combined with physical activity resulted in a 61-67 percent risk reduction for developing the disease.

Robert Larkin, president of Senior Living Residences said, “This major study reinforces what we have been working on for the last two years in providing our residents with the health benefits of the Memory Preservation Nutrition ® program. Our program implementation, which is truly ahead of the curve, includes all of the basic elements of the well-known and well-documented Mediterranean diet and goes well beyond it with its cognitive health protective factors.”

Details About the Memory Preservation Nutrition® program

The main foods that are indicated through the Memory Preservation Nutrition® program include fresh fruits and vegetables, especially leafy green vegetables, specific spices, whole grains, and foods containing omega-three fatty acids. The Memory Preservation Nutrition® program also focuses on reducing cholesterol and substituting healthy fats (omega 3 and mono-unsaturated fats) for saturated and Trans fats foods. Another major feature of the program is reducing the amount of refined sugar and high fructose corn syrup in the overall diet. All of the healthy foods featured by the MPN™ in the right combinations provide the body with important disease-fighting antioxidants, nutrients with anti-inflammatory properties and also help to regulate blood sugar. These changes are all important for brain health.

Dr. Emerson Lombardo says that diet changes that are made through the Memory Preservation Nutrition® program can benefit people of any age whether or not they have memory loss. She states, “Individuals researching Alzheimer’s disease believe changes and damage in the brain begins well before there are any symptoms of the disease. Following the Memory Preservation Nutrition® program, even if you are not noticing changes to your memory, can be an important step to take to protect your own brain health. The Memory Preservation Nutrition® program becomes even more important for those already experiencing problems. The Memory Preservation Nutrition® works in part by promoting overall body health.  It is never too late to intervene. SLR communities’ talented chefs have done an outstanding job of following Memory Preservation Nutrition® guidelines to create their own new delicious recipes and the residents love the food.”

About Senior Living Residences
 Since 1990, Senior Living Residences of Boston, MA has created service-enriched housing and care options for seniors in New England. Fervently adhering to its “Right Values”—Resident Quality of Life, Valued Associates, Integrity and Innovation—SLR is a trusted leader in the communities it serves through innovative programs and services, which exceed industry standards, as well as its high staff retention. Partnering with equally committed organizations, such as the Boston University School of Medicine’s Alzheimer’s Disease Center, SLR remains at the forefront of research-based care for seniors, especially those living with Alzheimer’s disease. For more information, contact SLR at 617-268-9140 or online at www.SeniorLivingResidences.com.

About Health Care Insights, LLC
Founded by Nancy B. Emerson Lombardo, PhD, HealthCare Insights, LLC, is an organization dedicated to research and educational efforts designed to (1) help people of all ages protect and promote their brain health, (2) improve the overall health and well-being of seniors and specifically reduce their risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other brain problems, (3) help people recover from, or slow down, brain problems, (4) improve the life and well-being of persons with Alzheimer’s disease and their family and professional care partners and (5) end health care disparities in the U.S. and elsewhere, especially as they pertain to Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Dr. Emerson Lombardo has worked for more than 25 years in the fields of Alzheimer’s disease and services for older adults. She is a founder of both the national Alzheimer’s Association and Alzheimer’s Disease International, and a member of the International Academy of Nutrition and Aging and the Gerontological Society of America.  During the past decade she has developed lifestyle interventions to promote brain health, and to improve quality of life for older adults. For more information, contact Dr. Emerson Lombardo at 978-621-1926 or online at http://healthcareinsights.net.