Henry Ford Hospital
This week, we had the opportunity to film at Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital for our film “On the Front Lines of Alzheimer’s & Dementia.”
While there, we sat down with three of their leading professionals: Dr. Thomas Rifai, the Regional Medical Director of Metabolic Health and Weight Management, Dr. Peter LeWitt, the Director of Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Program, and Dr. Marina Novikova, the Program Director of the Behavioral Neurology Fellowship. Each doctor gave us insight into their area of expertise and how what they specialize in can be linked to dementia.
Dr. Rifai helps his patients navigate through their lifestyle habits that as we age need special attention. Dr. Rifai is considered one of Michigan’s most renowned metabolic nutritionist experts. His passion and support he offers patients are drawn from his first-hand research of the worlds Blue Zones on one of his expeditions. Dr. Rifai traveled to the mountaintops of Sardinia, Italy to learn how this aging community has some of the lowest diabetes, heart disease, and dementia rates in the world.
Dr. LeWitt is clearly on the front lines with patients who are learning how to live their lives as a Parkinson’s patient. We have come a long way since this disease was first identified as Shaking Paulsy some 200 years ago, Dr. Lewitt explained. Dr. LeWitt helped us understand how low levels of dopamine in the brain can lead to a diagnosis of Parkinson’s. He also explained the importance of daily exercise for anyone with Parkinson’s, but made it very clear that exercise and good eating habits should be a part of all of our lives. “The body and brain are one system. You have to be aware of this in your daily life.”
Dr. Novikova spends her days helping families and patients better understand a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia. Dr. Novikova shared with us her deep understanding of the complexities of living with Alzheimer’s, both for the patient as well as the caregiver. Our discussion covered a wide range of topics from sleep deprivation and the impact it has on our cognitive health, to how intimacy changes in a relationship when one partner has a form of dementia.
A special thank you to the patients of these three doctors who allowed us to step into their very personal lives.
Thank you also to Brenda Craig, the Director of Media Relations, Jeff Adkins, the Public Relations Specialist, and everyone at Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital for helping us navigate our day of filming.
To learn more about how you can support this very important film, please go to: http://ontodaysfrontlines.com/alzheimers/