Dr. Levy, recently hired as a Clinical Assistant Professor within the CHP, was awarded an Alzheimer’s Association grant entitled, “Engaging Diverse Populations in Behavioral Interventions for MCI.”
This pilot study has been funded for three years and will examine the barriers to recruitment, enrollment, and retention of older African Americans to a successful and already established cognitive rehabilitation program HABIT® (Healthy Action to Benefit Independence and Thinking). The HABIT® program is designed to prevent progression in individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). The HABIT® program, spearheaded by Dr. Glenn Smith, is an intensive, multicomponent, 10-day program with memory support training, computerized brain fitness, yoga, separate support groups for participants and their partners, and wellness education. Dr. Levy’s goal is to improve minority access to this behavioral intervention to determine its potential benefits for improved functional outcomes for African Americans.