- Michigan Events Blogger
- August 8, 2026
- 0
- Events, Metro Detroit, Michigan, Southfield
Photo courtesy of The Dorothy and Peter Brown Jewish Community Adult Day Program
The Dorothy and Peter Brown Jewish Community Adult Day Program, a day program offering innovative activities and care for metro Detroiters living with dementia, is offering families an opportunity to hear about the latest research initiatives at an educational Open House on Wed. Aug. 19 at 6.30 p.m. The free event will take place at Gesher Human Services (29699 Southfield Road, Southfield) which houses one of two Brown Centers, and will feature Dr. Rifky Tkatch PhD, Director of Real-World Evidence on the Global Medical Affairs Neurology Team in the pharmaceutical industry. There are currently two anti-amyloid therapies approved by the FDA which have changed the lives of thousands of patients in the US. The first Leqembi® (lecanemab), was developed by Eisai in partnership with Biogen and was approved by the FDA in 2023. It has been shown to significantly reduce cognitive and functional decline in patients with early Alzheimer’s Disease. The second was approved by the FDA in 2024 and is called Kisunla (donanemab). The Michigan Great Lakes Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association says there are more than 202,000 Michiganders living with Alzheimer’s.
“People living with the symptoms of early Alzheimer’s Disease and their families are hungry for information on the latest treatments, and how they can preserve an enjoyable and meaningful life for as many years as possible,” said Brown Center Director Debi Banooni. ‘’Dr. Tkatch studies how Alzheimer’s Disease develops, how to detect it earlier, and how treatments work in the real-world. She is also involved in the latest models of care to manage the disease in clinical practice, so will be able to provide families with much useful information along with hope for the future.” Dr. Tkatch received her PhD from the Department of Psychology at Wayne State University where she also completed fellowships at the Institute of Gerontology and the Karmanos Cancer Institute, followed by a position at the healthcare services company Optum where she specialized in Health Economics and Outcomes Research, before moving to the pharmaceutical industry.
The August 19 open house will provide:
- Latest updates on the current medications for Alzheimer’s Disease
- Information about emerging medications in the pipeline to treat Alzheimer’s Disease
- A tour of the Brown Center to show how it provides those living with dementia a meaningful and engaging day.
The Brown Center, which serves people of all religions and races, provides many interesting and engaging activities for its members including music, trivia games, art therapy, yoga and other fun games. Importantly, support is also provided to family care partners. The Brown Center, which has locations in Southfield and West Bloomfield, is a partnership between Gesher Human Services and Jewish Senior Life. …