If you’ve been a family caregiver of a person living with dementia, or are even living with dementia yourself, you’ve likely experienced a less-than-satisfying interaction with the healthcare system. Fortunately, Geriatrician Dr. Marc Rothman is out to change that. As a Co-Founder and CEO of the new dementia care initiative Lizzy Care, as well as the Founder of the not-for-profit arts philanthropy Dementia Spring, Dr. Rothman is working hard to change how we care for persons living with dementia and to raise awareness of the joy and creativity to be found among people with dementia. agebuzz Managing Editor Connie Zuckerman was lucky enough to grab a few minutes from Dr. Rothman’s very busy schedule to interview him about his work and the goals of these new entities.

CZ: Marc, Thank you so much for letting us introduce you to the agebuzz community. Can you tell us about your medical training and background? Why geriatrics? Why a particular interest in dementia care and home-based care for older adults?

MR: I was drawn to the challenges faced by older adults very early in my medical training, probably because I always had close relationships with grandparents and delighted in listening to their stories, insights, and experiences.  

My interest in dementia came later and was really triggered by personal experiences with memory loss — my Uncle Allen had fronto-temporal dementia and my Aunt Sandy has Alzheimer’s disease — and by my interest in the science of longevity and memory. Care of older adults with dementia is, by its very nature, interdisciplinary, and that’s a priority of mine professionally, as I love working with a team far more than working alone. 

As far as my training, I earned my medical degree from the New York University Grossman School of Medicine. Then I completed an internship and residency in internal medicine and fellowships in geriatric medicine and clinical epidemiology at Yale University. I am currently board-certified in internal medicine, geriatric medicine, and hospice and palliative medicine.

CZ: Are you also still a practicing physician? Can you tell us about your practice?

MR: I lead a house calls medical practice that focuses on helping older adults and persons living with dementia (PLWD) maintain their independence and function at home. We do in-home geriatric consultations, and partner with local primary care physicians, neurologists, rehabilitation providers, and other consultants. We also focus on caregiver training and empowerment, because we know that the care provided to PLWD is only as good as the health and well-being of their caregivers. 

CZ: You’ve founded one organization — Dementia Spring — and are involved at the leadership level with another, Lizzy Care. Let’s first talk about Lizzy Care. Can you describe what Lizzy Care is and how it works? 

MR: Lizzy Care is a dementia care management company; our mission is to reimagine dementia care at home, meeting today’s needs while anticipating tomorrow’s challenges. Lizzy Care, named for Elizabeth Blackwell, MD, America’s first female medical doctor, does this through excellent clinical services, technology that brings caregiving families together, and evidence-based resources that ensure high-quality care at home. We offer comprehensive navigation and guidance, 24/7 access to experts in aging and geriatrics, in-home support, a network of companions, caregivers, and ancillary providers, and access to the tools that improve communication and care coordination. 

New members first receive a comprehensive assessment. We ask questions: Where are they on the dementia or caregiving journey? Are we dealing with denial, which is so common among those with early-stage memory loss? How close are friends and family to burning out? Which set of resources — companions, caregivers, therapists, social workers, coaches, geriatricians, etc. — would be of most use to them?  

We work hard to make an impact quickly because we’ve learned over many years that once the first problem is solved, the path to more solutions is easier. At Lizzy Care, we also focus on data sharing to anticipate — and often avoid — the next crisis.

CZ: What led to the development of Lizzy Care? What was the problem you wanted to address with Lizzy Care?

MR: Lizzy Care was born of parents and purpose. My co-founders, Ollie Fielding, Sarah Gorenstein, and I have all struggled with dementia in our personal lives, with both parents and grandparents. The original technology platform was born out of Ollie’s need to help his grandfather. Today, Sarah’s father struggles with difficult memory loss issues. Through various connections on the playgrounds of New York City, we came together to form Lizzy Care and reimagine dementia care as one. 

Families with dementia struggle with a whole litany of issues and problems that elude traditional medical care providers: denial and shame; overwhelming loneliness, isolation, and boredom at home; refusal of caregiving services despite their obvious necessity; caregiver burnout; moving in/out of various living arrangements, like assisted living, memory care, rehabilitation, and nursing homes; and challenging end-of-life care choices that either reduce or increase suffering. These are the complex knots that Lizzy Care helps families unwind, gradually over time, based on trust and great customer service. 

CZ: What expectations should patients and their families have when using Lizzy Care? And what is the cost of using this service?

MR: People living with cognitive impairment and their family members should expect high-quality guidance through each step of the care journey. Lizzy Care initiates each new member with a personalized care plan unique to the individual and their needs. Our team of experts apply evidence-based, data-driven therapeutic approaches to coordinate in-home service providers, diagnostics, and rehabilitation. Care navigators communicate seamlessly with individuals and families, which is aided by Lizzy Care’s mobile application. By working together and meeting the needs of each individual in the family system, including caregiver respite services, we’re able to intervene to help prevent adverse outcomes and be on top of changes in the disease. Simply put, they can expect a trusted partner for the entire journey.

Right now, Lizzy Care’s services are private pay, but we will be accepting Medicare starting in July, and we are covered by many long-term-care insurance policies. Folks can contact us anytime to find out more about rates, billing, and insurance coverage.

CZ: Where would someone go to find out more about Lizzy Care?

MR: The best way to learn more about Lizzy Care is to head to www.hilizzy.com, or directly contact us at (234) 567-9449. Subscription to our newsletter will ensure timely delivery of all Lizzy Care news to your inbox. 

CZ: Now Dementia Spring! You are a founder of this organization. What prompted you to develop Dementia Spring and what was your mission?

MR: Alzheimer’s disease, for a long time, has been a disease that isn’t spoken about aloud. For much of my career, PLWD were relegated to the shadows, the only stories people told were about pain and despair. But that isn’t all there is, and many PLWD are thriving, out and about in the community, looking for ways to stay engaged. 

I saw how the stories we told about HIV, about cancer, and about heart disease all changed, and artists were always at the forefront of that storytelling. I followed the research that shows how the arts can make demonstrable improvements in quality of life, mood, burnout, and caregiving abilities. In 2021 my wife, Sisi, and I founded Dementia Spring and the Dementia Spring Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c)3 that supports artists telling new stories of dementia and providing arts therapies to the dementia community. 

Dementia Spring does this work through weekly Spotlights of artists from a variety of mediums — theatre, music, song, dance, painting and sculpture, and photography — and every year we provide Arts Fellowships that bring specific projects to completion. Recipients of the Fellowship are provided financial support, subject-matter guidance, technical support, and marketing resources. Both our Spotlights and Fellowships have received international submissions, and we partner with a broad range of creative innovators and organizations globally.  

CZ: How does Dementia Spring work? What kinds of projects have been funded through Dementia Spring?

MR: Now in our fourth year of Fellowships, Dementia Spring has funded 10 new projects, including: 

• Dementia Man, a one-man stage play by Sam Simon about coming to terms with a new diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.
• Here and Now, an original song about the healing power of caregiving by Jess King
• Dark Moon, a short film by Katie Matthews about how family relationships change along the dementia journey
• The Mercedes Project, a multidisciplinary art experience, including a stage play, virtual reality (VR) experience, healing room workshops, and a documentary, from the iOye! Group
• Memory Disco, a multisensory silent disco technology that brings music and dance to older adults in senior care facilities, from The Day By Day Project 
• Gloria, a short film about staving off memory loss through creativity and relationships by Kim Blanck

We recently announced the 2024 cohort: Juan Carlos Zaldivar, MFA, for a portrait exhibit with a memory cafe called The Gold Room; Jared Mezzocchi, MFA, for an original stage play, 73 Seconds; and C. Nathaniel Brown and Expose Dementia for film festival and roadshow, The Art of the Matter.  

CZ: Where would someone go to find out more about Dementia Spring?

MR: Dementia Spring is constantly sharing clips, photos, and news on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn. Our site, DementiaSpring.org, publishes new art and programs weekly. While you’re there, sign up on our Contact Us page to receive updates to your inbox. 

CZ: What’s the most important advice you can give to a newly diagnosed dementia patient and his/her family? Are there any resources or sources of support you highly recommend?

MR: Find a trusted team to support you through the entire journey, not just when there’s a crisis. There are so many forks along the dementia highway, better to have a team you trust for guidance than just improvising on your own. 

Reach out for support early, many families wait until everyone’s at their breaking point, or there’s a crisis about to break. A little prevention goes a long way with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

And, of course, head to www.hilizzy.com and www.dementiaspring.org and we’ll be happy to help you along the way. 

CZ: Thank you, Dr. Marc! We so appreciate the time and wisdom you have shared with us.

Dr. Marc Rothman has dedicated his professional career to helping older adults. As CEO of Lizzy Care, a full-service dementia care management company, Dr. Rothman draws from his years as a practicing physician and physician executive to design programs that deliver care more safely and effectively. Dr. Rothman is also a founder of Dementia Spring Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports artists and innovators who are telling new stories of dementia, curating programs engaging those living with dementia, and harnessing creativity to foster community and hope.