Alzheimer’s meals program launches with EmblemHealth | Long Island Business News

EmblemHealth, a health insurer with locations on Long Island, is partnering with physician-researcher Dr. Dean Ornish and chef-led meal service CookUnity to provide medically tailored meals as part of a new Alzheimer’s program, according to a news release about the initiative.

Based in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, CookUnity, which serves Long Island, said it is providing medically tailored meals for participants in the program for those with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease. Backed by emerging research, the meals are delivered to participants’ homes and are designed to slow the onset and progression of the disease.

“Lifestyle and diet play a critical role in how we live and how we age,” Dr. Dan Knecht, chief medical officer at EmblemHealth, said in the news release.

“Yet access to healthy, affordable, and delicious meals remains a major challenge for many,” Knecht said. “That’s why our collaboration with CookUnity is so unique and exciting. Their local chefs are helping us bring high-quality, plant-forward meals to participants in our Alzheimer’s program, making it easier to support health through food.”

The program – it’s in a pilot phase, currently – comes at a time when Alzheimer’s affects more than 426,000 New Yorkers, according to the New York State Office for the Aging. More than 7 million are living with Alzheimer’s across the United States, according to Alzheimer’s Association. And, experts say, there are limited treatment options.

“For this program to succeed, the food must be both culturally relevant and delicious,” Knecht said. “This program isn’t just about science; it’s about dignity and joy. Meals that reflect our members’ heritage and taste preferences aren’t just nourishing, but they’re healing.”

Participants can choose from over a dozen chef-prepared, ready-to-eat meals from CookUnity, developed to meet the specific nutritional needs of those with Alzheimer’s while maintaining restaurant-quality flavor.

“Our chefs view this program as a testament to their ever-evolving expertise and to the belief that food is medicine,” Bruno Didier, head of CookUnity Business, said in the news release.

“It’s often said that we are what we eat, and we believe the right recipes can empower better health,” Didier added. “This collaboration reflects our mission to deliver nourishing, chef-crafted meals – and deepens our commitment to scaling medically tailored solutions.”

CookUnity’s veteran chefs – Emily Peck, Einat Admony, Ivy Stark and Lena Elkousy – worked with EmblemHealth’s clinical team and CookUnity’s in-house nutritionist to create a nourishing and flavorful custom menu based on the principles of the “Ornish lifestyle,” according to the news release.

“When my team first learned about this meal program, we couldn’t contain our enthusiasm,” Admony said in the news release.

“This initiative not only offers us a platform to showcase our culinary skills, but it also encourages us to think creatively through the lens of health by eliminating excess salt and unhealthy fats while using more nutritious alternatives,” Admony said. “It’s an exciting challenge that allows us to redefine our dishes while promoting better health.”

The program currently offers 14 vegetarian meals, with plans to double to 28 soon. Each meal is designed to meet strict clinical nutritional guidelines and features diverse global flavors – from Middle Eastern Moroccan vegetable stew to Italian mushroom Stroganoff – designed to satisfy varied palates and encourage long-term adherence.

Participants in the program are screened by EmblemHealth’s provider group, Advantage Care Physicians, to implement a comprehensive lifestyle medicine program aimed at enhancing brain health and providing crucial support for caregivers, according to EmblemHealth.