The Glen and Wendy Miller Family Buddy Program
The Buddy Program pairs first-year medical students with people living with early-stage dementia for a mutually-enriching experience over the course of an academic year. The program provides a mentorship opportunity and social engagement for persons with Alzheimer’s dementia and other forms of cognitive impairment. Glen and Wendy Miller, and their daughter Lauren, began supporting the Buddy Program in 2008. The program was renamed after the family in 2021 as the Glen and Wendy Miller Family Buddy Program in recognition of their generous support.
Additionally, the program offers an opportunity for both the person with dementia and family to share their experiences with the illness, while giving medical students the opportunity to get to know someone with dementia outside of the clinical setting. The Buddy Program is also open to pre- and post-doctoral students conducting lab research who may not have the chance to meet a person for which their research may one day benefit.
Stories
Learn more from recent stories on the Buddy Program.
The Buddy Program Thrives, Builds Online Connection
Due to the pandemic, the Buddy Program was adapted to a virtual format. The program had its largest cohort in its 24-year history.
My Mentor’s Impact on My Future as a Physician
Alexandru Buhimschi joined the Buddy Program for the opportunity to develop a longitudinal friendship with someone dealing with illness.History of the Buddy Program
In 1997, the Buddy Program was developed on the premise that, despite a dementia diagnosis, people can still maintain a meaningful quality of life. The idea for the program came from the experience of a retired Northwestern physician who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, and the disappointment he shared that he was no longer using his experience and knowledge in a meaningful way. Although he was forced to abandon his life’s work as a result of his cognitive decline, this physician was still able to impart valuable medical information and mentor, for a time, an interested medical student. The Buddy Program was then developed and piloted to provide first-year medical students the experience of getting to know a person living with dementia the opportunity to learn from them.
In addition to conducting research and treating the clinical characteristics of neurodegenerative diseases, the Mesulam Center has always placed a strong emphasis on the quality of life for diagnosed individuals and their families. Over the years, the center has developed and enhanced early-stage programming to help families learn about and cope with the diagnosis, combat the common stigmas of dementia and investigate the potential benefits of non-pharmacological interventions.
For more information, please contact Darby Morhardt.
Videos
The Glen and Wendy Miller Family
The program above is made possible by the generosity of the Miller family. Since 2008, Glen and Wendy Miller and their daughter Lauren, have supported the Buddy Program, which was named in their honor in 2021. In addition, they helped establish the Glen and Wendy Miller Post Graduate Social Work Fellowship in Neurocognitive Disorders.