Imagine the Possibilities Honoree Julie Moran Tours Bridgewell

Earlier this month, Dr. Julie Moran toured Bridgewell’s Boston Street Day Habilitation Center and Wedgemere Road, Bridgewell’s residential program for individuals with developmental disability experiencing signs of Alzheimer’s disease.

Dr. Moran is receiving the Excellence in Service award at the 2015 Imagine the Possibilities Gala. She is a geriatrician specializing in older adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD).  She runs two outpatient specialty clinics for older adults with I/DD that are served by the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services and is a consultant for patients with I/DD admitted to Tewksbury Hospital.  In both the outpatient and inpatient setting, Dr. Moran has served many Bridgewell clients.

Additionally, Dr. Moran was the keynote speaker at Bridgewell’s 2014 Living Longer: Aging with Intellectual Disability conference in Framingham. The event was a huge success attracting more than 400 human service professionals, families and guardians. She will be speaking at the 2015 Living Longer conference as well.

According to Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Developmental Disabilities and Health, population studies show us that the rate of occurrence of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias among persons with intellectual disability appears to be about the same as in the general population (or about 6% of persons age 60 and older). The rate among same-age adults with Down syndrome is much higher – about 25% for adults age 40 and older and about 65% for adults age 60 and older.

It is estimated that there are more than 150,000 adults with intellectual disability worldwide affected by some form of dementia and that this number will triple over the next 20 years. Bridgewell, with the help of dedicated professionals like Dr. Julie Moran, strives to offer the best care for these individuals.