Pacific Neuroscience Institute Provides Neurological and Mental health Programs to Retired Football Players and Their Families
As we age, most people will experience some level of cognitive and physical decline. This can be particularly true for former athletes who once pushed their bodies to the limits. In an effort to support retired football players and their families through these challenges, Hall of Fame Health (HOFH) network provider, Providence Saint John’s Health Center offers comprehensive care for a wide spectrum of neurological disorders through an onsite program by Pacific Neuroscience Institute (PNI).
Located in Santa Monica, California, PNI is ranked #48 in the nation for Neurology and Neurosurgery out of nearly 5,000 hospitals. Earlier this year, leading up to the big final game of the NFL season, Pro Football Hall of Famer Jackie Slater visited PNI where he met with Dr. Daniel Kelly, Director and Co-Founder of PNI, and underwent a cognitive screening assessment with Dr. David Merrill, Director of PNI’s Brain Health Center. He later shared about the experience during an event on Wednesday, February 9, 2022, hosted by Providence Saint John’s Health Center and HOFH where brain health was a major topic of discussion.
“I never thought in my wildest imagination that ping pong would contribute to my mental ability,” said Slater. “I never really tied my own personal physical flaws to how they affect me mentally. It was really enlightening to hear how much the physical part of it contributes to the mental part. This was a very, very special day for me, an enlightening day, and I think it’s going to benefit me personally a whole lot.”
“It can be intimidating to be told that you have a brain health problem, especially when in your younger life, you’ve been at the peak of your field, a picture of health. So, I think it’s a brave move to put yourself under the microscope so-to-speak and to undergo the assessments we offer at our PNI Brain Health Center. Once we help you identify your strengths and weaknesses, we can work with you to favorably modify your lifestyle including things like diet, sleep, and exercise, including physical and cognitive activities. We really look forward to providing healthcare to the former players and their families,” says David A. Merrill, MD, PhD, director of the Pacific Brain Health Center at Pacific Neuroscience Institute.
“Saint John’s has been a pivotal partner for us in many ways,” says Jeremy Hogue, CEO of Hall of Fame Health. “They were one of the first health centers to see our vision and raise their hand to join. They’re an ideal partner for all we are trying to do including the cognitive screening program.”
PNI’s Brain Health Center was developed to provide comprehensive and holistic care to patients with dementia and associated neurological disorders, as well as problems of memory loss, depression, anxiety, and addiction. Offering a wide variety of diagnostic assessments, the program takes a wide view of each’s patient brain health by not only zeroing in on neuropsychological testing but also in assessing lifestyle issues such as exercise, nutrition, family history, drug use, etc.
“When someone feels they are mentally sliding in the wrong direction, such as memory decline or loss of mental acuity, there are often multiple sources for this deterioration,” adds Dr. Kelly. “For example, there may be poorly controlled hypertension and/or diabetes, lack of regular physical exercise, weight gain, poor sleep habits, substance abuse and even untreated hormonal deficiencies (such as low testosterone), all of which can contribute to less-than-optimal mental function and can over time, increase the risk of developing dementia. Our program at PNI under the guidance of Dr. Merrill tries to unravel these multiple issues and risk factors, and provide practical guidance on how to optimize bodily health to have the greatest impact on brain health. We believe that a brain health assessment is truly vital, arguably as important as a heart assessment to promote healthy aging. Ultimately, we aim to provide individualized assessments and a game plan for optimizing one’s exercise and cognitive activities through our FitBrain program, and overall lifestyle recommendations, including incorporation of mindfulness and meditation and ways to improve sleep habits.”
In addition to the Pacific Brain Health Center, PNI has developed the Pacific Treatment & Research in Psychedelics (TRIP) Program, led by Dr. Keith Heinzerling, who is an addiction medicine specialist. The TRIP Program is dedicated to the development of psychedelic-assisted therapies and the scientific exploration of how altered states of consciousness can be harnessed to change behavior and improve brain health and quality of life.
Currently at TRIP, Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy is offered for select patients with treatment resistant mental health conditions such depression or anxiety, PTSD, or alcohol use disorder. Treatment consists of off-label ketamine intramuscular injections combined with integrated psychotherapy for select patients. Sessions are done in specially designed treatment rooms at the TRIP Program where patients recline on a couch, wear eyeshades, and listen to music and are attended by TRIP physicians and therapists with specialized training in psychedelic therapy. For more information go to www.pacifictrip.org.
As one of Hall of Fame Health’s founding partners, Providence Saint John’s is a part of a group of premier providers of medical care offering services to any former National Football League player or team employee, and their families.
For more information on HOFH partners and programs, please call 866-404-HOFH.