MEDIA CONTACT: Kristine M. McGrath
561/297-1168 or kmcgrath@fau.edu
FAU To Break Ground On Green Alzheimer's Center
BOCA RATON, FL (April 15, 2003) -- Florida Atlantic University will break ground on the first phase of a multimillion dollar Louis and Anne Green Alzheimer's Research Center and Care Facility, Tuesday, April 15 at 11 a.m. on the Boca Raton campus, 777 Glades Road.
"I believe this Center will significantly impact the quality of life for those with Alzheimer's disease, as well as their caregivers," said FAU President Frank Brogan. "I am so proud that the Green's have provided FAU and the Boca Raton Community Hospital with the opportunity to be a leader in this health initiative."
The FAU Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, which received a $1.5 million gift from the Greens to create the state-of-the-art facility, will work in conjunction with Boca Raton Community Hospital. The unique partnership between FAU and Boca Raton Community Hospital is grounded in the concept of caring and dedicated to addressing the complex problems of Alzheimer's disease and related memory disorders through research, education and provision of care. Presently, the Memory and Wellness Center is operating under the direction and leadership of FAU; Boca Raton Community Hospital provides lab services and community initiatives in support of the center.
The Alzheimer center will house the Memory and Wellness program, FAU's Gerontological Research Program, and the College of Nursing's teaching and outreach programs related to Alzheimer's issues, which are currently working out of the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing in the Social Sciences building on the Boca Raton campus. The Green's gift received matching funds from the State of Florida, increasing the total value to $3 million.
"We find it so exciting to have this vitally important research facility coming to fruition," said Louis Green. "We believe the teaching, research and care occurring in this Center will have far reaching benefits for the community and those personally dealing with this disease."
The new 15,000 square foot facility will be used for teaching and interdisciplinary research and feature a nursing practice site providing day care services for Alzheimer's patients with mild to moderate symptoms. Research at the Center will be carried out under the direction of Dr. Ruth Tappen, the Christine E. Lynn Eminent Scholar in Nursing and a widely published researcher in the field of Alzheimer's disease and related disorders. The facility will also feature an art room, a library, kitchen, living rooms, game rooms, porches, and gardens, in addition to office spaces and examination rooms.
A second construction phase calls for the addition of a $14 million residential facility to The Louis and Anne Green Alzheimer's Research Center and Care Facility. The second phase will accommodate 90 assisted-living patients, 30 nursing areas, a clinical area, a physical therapy gym, and research and administration offices.
"This new facility will bring to life the wonderful vision of the Green's. We share their passion for making a difference in the lives of the elderly. As a University community, we are excited about the possibilities for expanding interdisciplinary research and innovative practice and education," noted Dr. Anne Boykin, dean of the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing. "Values guiding the development of this Center are caring and respect for person."
Currently, more than four million Americans are believed to have Alzheimer's disease, and 14 million more are expected to develop it over the next 50 years. With one-quarter of Florida's population over the age of 65, the state is grappling with elder care issues on a scale the rest of the nation will not experience for three more decades.
For more information on the Louis and Anne Green Alzheimer's Research Center and Care Facility, call 561-297-3206.
-FAU-
FAU's College of Nursing views nursing as a discipline of knowledge and a field of professional practice grounded in caring. The College of Nursing is committed to the pursuit of higher education grounded in the arts, sciences, and humanities. Faculty of the College support FAU's mission of education, scholarship, and service.
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