NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
EAST WINDSOR – (November 29, 2017) Fresh River Healthcare in East Windsor, CT has begun to utilize a medication named AUSTEDO (Deutetrabenazine) in the treatment of patients with Huntington’s Disease; the first nursing home in Connecticut, and one of an estimated 15 in the country, to do so.
Huntington’s disease (HD) is a neurological, hereditary disease with physical, emotional, behavioral and cognitive effects that are disruptive to all parts of everyday activities.
Huntington’s chorea, the most visible symptom of HD, causes involuntary, random movements of various body parts making difficult the activities of daily live. AUSTEDO, manufactured as a tablet by Teva Pharmaceuticals, decreases the involuntary movements associated with chorea.
Due to its specialized Huntington’s Disease program and its partnerships with UConn Health’s HD clinic as well as other HD specialists, Fresh River was selected by Teva for a pilot project in the use of AUSTEDO. The pilot studies the long term efficacy of administering the medication to patients in the long term care setting.
A randomized clinical trial published in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed patients with HD treated with AUSTEDO had improved motor at the 12 week mark.
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Fresh River Healthcare is a 166 bed skilled nursing facility which specializes in Huntington’s Disease management, Memory Care and Behavioral Health, in addition to other short term rehab and long term care services. Fresh River is Five Star rated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and in a January 2017 article Fresh River was also identified by the Connecticut Health Investigation Team as having the lowest hospital readmission rate in the State of Connecticut.
iCare Management provides management and consulting services to skilled nursing facilities and other healthcare providers as well as a range of services including medical, short-term rehabilitation, long-term care, behavioral health, substance use management, memory care & support services through its managed facilities and Greater Hartford Memory Care Centers. iCare manages ten sites in Connecticut including four Touchpoints Rehab centers, as well as separate outpatient therapy, rehabilitation and home care units
For more information contact:
David Skoczulek, Vice President of Business Development, (860) 250-3075 – moc.tnemeganameraci@sdivad