Innovative Center Opens to Support Alzheimer’s Patients and Their Families

A new pioneering facility dedicated to assisting individuals with Alzheimer’s disease, along with their families, has recently opened on Long Island. The Barbara Rabinowitz Education & Resource Center offers specialized programs and resources tailored to improve the quality of life for those affected.

The 11,500-square-foot center includes a unique transit simulation room equipped with real train seats and airplane rows. This space helps families learn how to manage travel with loved ones experiencing cognitive decline. The center also provides regular memory screenings and engaging activities such as poetry sessions, karaoke, sensory Bingo, true or false games, and a themed “Wheel of Fortune” game scheduled for the upcoming week.

Barbara Rabinowitz’s son, Michael Rabinowitz, who recently retired from investment banking, expressed how the center could have eased his mother’s journey with Alzheimer’s, which she fought for six years before passing away in 2022. “I’d never imagined a facility like this — it would have made life easier,” he shared. He worked closely with the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) to establish the center, honoring his mother’s memory.

Close friend and former local senator Chuck Fuschilio helped find a location across from Dominican Village, an area known for community service. “This center addresses a vital need for many families,” Fuschilio said.

Rabinowitz emphasizes the importance of the psychological approach in the center’s design, particularly its sensory rooms aimed at creating calming environments for dementia patients. The facility aims to support both patients and their caregivers, fostering a more understanding and compassionate approach to managing Alzheimer’s disease.