By Catherine Tsounis
“Health is the greatest of human blessings.” – Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine.
An evening medical panel on Alzheimer’s disease, featuring lively and spontaneous healthcare practitioners and legal advisors, held our attention for three hours at the Armenian Church of the Holy Martyrs auditorium in Bayside, New York, on Friday, October 25th. The Armenian American Health Professionals Organization (AAMPO) presented the workshop, hosted by the Women’s Guild of the Armenian Church of the Holy Martyrs. The audience asked many questions and enjoyed the exceptional presentations. Admission was free, and excellent refreshments were served.
The program opened with the following speakers: Prayer by Rev. Dr. Abraham Malkhasyan, Pastor of the Armenian Church of the Holy Martyrs in the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America (New York); Moderator Dr. Lynn Cetin, assisted by Dr. Debra Ferman; Introduction by Lawrence V. Najarian, MD, President of AAMPO; Panel Participants included Dr. Eliz Agopian, MD, who spoke on “Neurology Prevention and Behaviors to Decrease the Risk of Alzheimer’s Dementia”; Armenuhi Ananyan, RN, MSN, Accountable Care Manager, who addressed “Patient and Family Education about Daily Activities, Diet, and Safety”; Tatevik Ananyan, M.S., CCC-SLP, Speech Language Pathologist, who discussed “Effective Communication & Swallowing Safety”; Bruce Ashbahian, Esq., who presented “Alzheimer’s Disease: The Legal Perspective”; and Dr. Carlo Bayrakdarian, MD, Psychiatry, who covered “Pharmacogenomics.”
The panel presented crucial information about Alzheimer’s disease. It is vital not to isolate a person with this condition. Alzheimer’s is a progressive type of dementia that affects memory, thinking, speaking, and even behavior. As the disease progresses, individuals may become confused about the day or their surroundings. Doctors now understand that the changes seen in Alzheimer’s are due to the buildup of sticky proteins called beta-amyloid, which create plaques that disrupt normal communication in the brain, leading to the death of nerve cells and loss of brain tissue.
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Alzheimer’s develops slowly, with changes in the brain potentially occurring for 20 years before symptoms appear. When symptoms do emerge, it is crucial to seek help promptly and receive medication to slow the progression of the disease. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, scheduling regular checkups, and taking any prescribed medication are essential. Following a Mediterranean diet has been shown to reduce the likelihood of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Pharmacogenomics is a field of medicine that investigates how a person’s genetic makeup may affect how their body processes certain medications. It involves genetic testing to identify changes in specific genes. This rapidly growing field helps healthcare providers prescribe medications that lead to fewer side effects or may be more effective for individual patients.
The Armenian American Health Professionals Organization is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of Armenians in the New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut areas, as well as our brethren in Armenia. We support all healthcare professionals, including physicians, dentists, pharmacists, nutritionists, and others in the tri-state area.
The primary mission of AAMPO is to promote and advance the science and art of healing, educating and improving the health services of the Armenian community in the metropolitan area and Armenia. We strive to enhance healthcare in Armenia through direct donations and activities, as well as by collaborating and fostering relationships with healthcare providers there through education and training to improve the overall quality of healthcare individuals receive.
Rev. Dr. Abraham Malkhasyan’s leadership, alongside the Women’s Guild, is commended for this unique evening. On December 18, 2023, in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, received Reverend Fr. Abraham Malkhasyan. Fr. Abraham holds a doctoral degree from Fordham University in the USA and has continued his studies at the Department of Religion and Religious Studies at Fordham under the blessings of His Holiness Karekin II. He successfully defended his doctoral thesis titled “Understanding Disaffiliation in the Armenian Church: A Study of Older and Younger Millennials.” Fr. Abraham also serves as a professor of Theology at St. John’s University in New York. As a token of appreciation, His Holiness presented Fr. Abraham with a beautiful pectoral cross.
The Ladies Guild is commended for hosting this exceptional evening. We attended with our friends Carol and Mardo Anastasian.
