Medical professor will bring PEACE to patients with Alzheimer's

Greg Sachs, Associate Professor in Medicine and a nationally recognized researcher in geriatrics and dementia care, will be leading an innovative, end-of-life care program. The program will provide full-service palliative care earlier in the progression of Alzheimer's disease.

The program is called PEACE, Palliative Excellence in Alzheimer's Care Efforts, and will be administered in conjunction with Hospice of Michigan. Palliative care is an approach emphasizing physical comfort as well as emotional, social and spiritual well-being across a full range of clinical settings for seriously ill patients.

Under Sachs' direction, PEACE and the Windermere Senior Health Center will address patient and family goals and preferences for end-of-life care, including advance care planning, appropriate treatment for Alzheimer's disease and its complications, such as pneumonia or feeding problems, and treatments to improve patients' comfort and dignity.

The University received a $450,000, three-year grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for this end-of-life program. Chicago was one of 20 grant recipients selected from 678 applicants nationwide.