Berkshire Bank and its Center for Women, Wellness & Wealth Announce an Innovative Collaboration with the Massachusetts General Hospital Dementia Care Collaborative
BOSTON – Berkshire Bank and its Center for Women, Wellness & Wealth (CWWW) are excited to announce a new effort to support the Dementia Care Collaborative (DCC), a program at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Division of Palliative Care & Geriatric Medicine. This innovative collaboration will bolster the support patients and families living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias receive in Boston and beyond. The partnership also includes a philanthropic contribution from the bank’s foundation.
There are an estimated 6.5 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease and more than 11 million caregivers who are unpaid family members and friends (DCC Annual report). According to research, Alzheimer’s disease is twice as common in women. Berkshire understands there is a need to educate and support those living with dementia, caregivers, healthcare providers, and the community. By joining together with the DCC, we will assist with financial wellness and financial security, which is crucial to the aging population and their caregivers.
Supporting women through various stages of life is core to Berkshire Bank’s CWWW, which launched in 2022. CWWW seeks community collaborations to help women gain confidence in their personal finances and to help them pursue their dreams and goals. By joining efforts with the DCC, Berkshire Bank can enrich the financial stability, balance, and growth for women in the Boston community and beyond.
Berkshire Bank will co-host signature events in 2024 with the MGH Dementia Care Collaborative to help with the intersection of wellness and wealth. These impact conversations will be held in person in February 2024 and virtually during the spring with Dr. Christine Ritchie, a geriatrician and palliative care physician who has cared for persons living with dementia and their caregivers her entire professional life. Massachusetts General Hospital is a leading institution in Alzheimer’s disease and dementia research.
“We are honored to collaborate with Massachusetts General Hospital and amplify the tremendous work of their Dementia Care Collaborative,” said Kathryn Hersey, Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer for Wealth Management at Berkshire Bank. “The resources the DCC provides are truly innovative and transformative, and deeply align with the mission of Berkshire’s Center for Women, Wellness & Wealth. These resources support and educate patients, caregivers, providers, and our community members to teach new ways of understanding dementia, communicate with those with dementia, and empower caregivers to foster their own well-being and resilience. Through joint programs and educational opportunities, we can advance preparedness and the well-being of those impacted by memory loss and related diseases.”
“Through the Dementia Care Collaborative, we support persons living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia and their families and caregivers across Greater Boston and the nation. There are so many opportunities to improve the way we care for people living with dementia and support their caregivers, and we are developing strategies to reduce significant gaps in research and care as well as gaps in our understanding of what is truly quality care – our evidence base – to improve how we care for persons and families on this journey,” says Dr. Ritchie. “The DCC has been funded by philanthropy since its launch in 2017, and our work with Berkshire Bank will advance our parallel goals and bring our knowledge to community members who need it most.”
To learn more or register for future events, visit CWWW (berkshirebank.com)
About Berkshire Bank
Berkshire Bank, founded in 1846, is becoming a high-performing, relationship-driven, community-focused bank. It empowers the financial potential of its stakeholders by making banking available where, when and how it’s needed through an uncompromising focus on exceptional customer service, digital banking, and positive community impact. Providing a wide range of financial solutions through its consumer banking, commercial banking and wealth management divisions, the bank has approximately $12.1 billion in assets and a community based footprint of nearly 100 financial centers in Massachusetts, New York, Vermont, Connecticut and Rhode Island. Headquartered in Boston, Berkshire Hills Bancorp (NYSE: BHLB) is the parent of Berkshire Bank. Named one of America’s Most Trusted Companies by Newsweek and America’s Best Midsize Employers by Forbes, Berkshire is also listed in the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index and a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality. To learn more, visit www.berkshirebank.com or follow us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Media Contact:
Alicia Jacobs, AVP, Public Relations Officer, communications@berkshirebank.com
About the Massachusetts General Hospital
Massachusetts General Hospital, founded in 1811, is the original and largest teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. The Mass General Research Institute conducts the largest hospitalbased research program in the nation, with annual research operations of more than $1 billion and comprises more than 9,500 researchers working across more than 30 institutes, centers and departments. In July 2022, Mass General was named #8 in the U.S. News & World Report list of “America’s Best Hospitals.” MGH is a founding member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system.
The Dementia Care Collaborative is part of the MGH Division of Palliative Care & Geriatric Medicine and is an umbrella for the Dementia Caregiver Support Program and the Memory Care Program. To learn more, visit MGH Dementia Care Collaborative | Transforming Memory Care.