Harvard Medical School-Affiliated Dementia Care Specialists
If you’re concerned about memory loss in a loved one, you want to receive care from the very best doctors and specialists in Alzheimer’s and dementia care. The team at the Deanna and Sidney Wolk Center for Memory Health in Boston is focused on listening your concerns and goals, and tailoring a plan for diagnosis and treatment that meets your family’s individual needs.
Our doctors, nurse practitioners, and staff are experienced in working with older adults. Many of our clinicians also hold positions at Hebrew SeniorLife’s Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research and are involved in clinical trials to discover, test, and prove new treatments.
Our Staff
Alvaro Pascual-Leone, M.D., Ph.D.
Medical Director
Dr. Álvaro Pascual-Leone combines a commitment to scientific inquiry with the compassionate, person-centered care he delivers in his clinical role as medical director of the Wolk Center for Memory Health. He also serves as a senior scientist at Hebrew SeniorLife’s Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research and a professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School. He has been recognized as one of the “World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds.” In 2022 research.com, a prominent academic platform for scientists, ranked Dr. Pascual-Leone # 10 worldwide for neuroscience.
Dr. Pascual-Leone enjoys working at the Wolk Center for Memory Health because he likes helping patients and their families live fulfilling, happy lives, even in the face of memory or other cognitive problems.
Read more about Dr. Pascual-Leone
Maureen Bannan, RN, MA
Vice President, Home and Community Based Services
Maureen Bannan is executive director of Home and Community Based Services at Hebrew SeniorLife where she is responsible for the operations of community programs, including certified home health, hospice, adult day health, personal assistance, and private care. Maureen also provides executive leadership to the Wolk Center for Memory Health.
Maureen enjoys collaborating between health care service lines to provide all individuals the opportunity to live their best lives by determining where they are served during a particular point in time and distributing care across a health care system rich in diversity of clinical and social services.
Heather Andrews
Psychometrist
Heather Andrews is a psychometrist at the Deanna and Sidney Wolk Center for Memory Health and a research associate at the Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research. Prior to her work at the Wolk Center for Memory Health, Heather served as the memory care Life Enrichment Specialist at Mount Desert Island Hospital's Birch Bay Village in Maine and worked as a research assistant at the University of Maine within labs focused on cognition, mood, and resilience.
As part of a robust multidisciplinary team, Heather is motivated to provide a holistic, compassionate approach to care. She feels privileged to get to know the patients at the Wolk Center and assist them in their journey toward greater health and well-being.
Davide Balos Cappon, M.S, Ph.D.
Clinical Neuropsychologist, Leader in Neuromodulation
Davide Balos Cappon, M.S., Ph.D., is clinical neuropsychologist at the Deanna and Sidney Wolk Center for Memory Health and an assistant scientist at the Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research at Hebrew SeniorLife. He is also an Assistant Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School.
In addition to his research on preserving and lengthening healthy aging across the lifespan, a major focus of Dr. Cappon's research is on making precise neuromodulation therapy more accessible to older adults with cognitive and mood disorders. He is investigating the use of personalized, novel, and scalable home-based neuromodulation interventions that address the undertreatment of depression and other psychiatric and cognitive symptoms in the context of dementia. He loves hearing patient stories about their profound human experiences and the ability to emotionally connect through those stories.
Mohit Chopra, M.D.
Psychiatrist
Dr. Mohit P Chopra is a fellowship trained, Board certified geriatric psychiatrist who specializes in providing outstanding clinical care to his patients. His areas of sub-specialization include cognitive impairment, depression, and trauma-related disorders in older adults. He is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association (DFAPA) and is also affiliated with the Univ. of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) in academic and clinical capacities.
Problems with mood, thinking, and behavior are extremely common as older adults develop cognitive and memory impairments and Dr. Chopra has extensive experience in providing care for these problems using not just medications and psychotherapy, but also newer treatment options like Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS).
Trish Eichinger, LICSW
Social Worker
Trish Eichinger, LICSW, is a geriatric social worker who has more than 15 years’ experience working with seniors and their families, and connecting them with needed community supports and services. Her previous work in geriatric psychiatry provides her with a sharpened recognition of the emotional stress for both patients and caregivers that is often associated with receiving a new cognitive impairment diagnosis. Additionally, her history working in elder protective services allows her to comprehensively assess seniors for potential risks associated with memory loss, and subsequently connect them with supports to alleviate risks.
Helping senior patients and their families accept that a diagnosis of cognitive impairment, while obviously upsetting, does not have to be earth-shattering, drives her work at the Wolk Center. She has seen the positive impact when patients are able to recognize that accepting available supports and services can provide a better quality of life for all involved, and helps sustain family caregiver arrangements.
Melissa Greeley
Medical Assistant
Melissa Greeley is a graduate from Bryman Institute in 2002 with a Medical Assistant degree, worked at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center as a Medical Assistant in Cardiovascular Medicine, and transitioned to Clinical Research Coordinator role involving Carotid and Renal artery stenting and filters.
"I came to Hebrew SeniorLife in 2010 to continue working with seniors at the Hebrew SeniorLife Medical Group in Brookline, MA, as the Outpatient Coordinator. As I join the Wolk Center I feel very lucky to continue to belong to a wonderful organization that is dedicated to constantly improving seniors’ health and quality of life."
Marie Guerrier, MSN, NP
Geriatric Nurse Practitioner
Marie Guerrier is an Adult Nurse Practitioner in Boston, MA. She has over 23 years of experience specializing in geriatrics, Alzheimer's care, progressive neurological disorders, end of life care, and acute and chronic disease management. She was a Nurse Practitioner Assistant Professor, Boston University School of Medicine.
Marie is happy to work at the Wolk Center, with its strong geriatric focus plus research and teaching opportunities. She enjoys caring and advocating for patients and their families, ensuring they get the best treatment and care they deserve to live long and healthy lives.
Lingda Hou, NHA
Administrative Director
Lingda Hou joined Hebrew SeniorLife in 2015 after graduating from Brandeis University with a M.A. in Economics and Finance. Prior to joining the Deanna and Sidney Wolk Center for Memory Health as their administrative clinic manager, Lingda worked at NewBridge on the Charles, where she managed a receptionist team, worked on continuous improvement projects, and created and organized executive training camps for senior living companies in China. She enjoys that her role allows her to participate in the rewarding experience of making a difference for patients and families in need.
Rashmi Kaura, M.D.
Palliative Care and Geriatric Specialist
Rashmi Kaura, M.D. is the Medical Director of Hospice and Palliative Care for Hebrew SeniorLife and a Palliative Care and Geriatric Specialist at the Deanna and Sidney Wolk Center for Memory Health. She is board certified in hospice and palliative care, geriatric medicine, and internal medicine by the American Board of Internal Medicine.
Dr. Kaura enjoys working at the Wolk Center for Memory Health because she gets to collaborate and practice with an extraordinary team of health professionals in delivering comprehensive and compassionate care.
Wendy Shulman
Office Manager
Wendy Shulman is the office manager for the Deanna and Sidney Wolk Center for Memory Health. She is the first point of contact for patients and families seeking care at the Wolk Center. Wendy feels grateful to be working with an extraordinary team of professionals and assisting in the care coordination efforts that support families seeking care at the Wolk Center.
Maggie Syme, PhD, MPH, LP
Psychologist
Maggie Syme is a licensed clinical psychologist with specialties in dementia care, family caregiving, and older adult mental health and wellness. Prior to coming to the Wolk Center for Memory Health, Dr. Syme was an associate professor of Gerontology at Kansas State University and has previous clinical work within the VA Healthcare system.
In her research and teaching, Dr. Syme focuses on the biopsychosocial factors important to healthy aging as well as the impact of ageism and perceptions of aging on health and wellness. Her passion for working with older adults is what brought her to the Wolk Center, and she looks forward to working with older adults and families in navigating the challenges of living well.
