Since my grandfather Charles H. Edwards founded the Memory Center, I had heard very little about his practice beyond small snippets of stories revolving around his nurses and patients. When I arrived I expected to walk into a tiny space with one exam room, one doctor, and a couple of nurses. But as I walked past the front desk, it felt like the space was never ending. Complete with a multitude of conference rooms, offices, exam rooms, and staff members, the memory center is prepared to give you everything that you could ask for from your healthcare provider and more. 

What I’ve learned in my three weeks here is that the core of Memory & Movement Charlotte is the “time and attention model,” and this concept is not taken lightly. The patients, doctors, and even representatives of drug companies I chatted with at lunch understood the impact and importance of this promise. MMC extends appointment times from the basic fifteen minutes to 1-2 hours, provides support for caregivers, and prioritizes each family’s needs over speed and volume. Because of this, the practice attracts staff members who are passionate, hard-working, and above all, care deeply for the patients. While it seems simple, the unique way the time and attention concept manifests in each employees’ role amazes me. Here are just a few examples:

• On my first day, I spent one hour learning from Patient Experience Coordinator Angela Sinnet. Angela spends her day on the phone, taking calls from new patients and scheduling first appointments. For her, time and attention means remembering what each family needs. Whenever someone reschedules or cancels an appointment, Angela knows immediately, without checking her computer, who needs that exact date and time. She is constantly picking up phone calls and trying to move through the waiting list, and she is dedicated to helping patients get the support they need. 
• The next day, I shadowed Tosha Covington who has worked in hospice and oncology and is now a Nurse Practitioner at MMC. For Tosha, time and attention means taking the time to laugh with a patient while simultaneously listening to the caregivers' concerns. I laughed with Tosha when she asked if a patient had fallen recently and he said yes, he fell for his wife! And noticed how she balanced the patient’s jokes with seriously evaluating his condition. 
• For Family Care Navigator Margaret Ward, time and attention is spending her day looking for ways to support the experience and mental health of struggling caregivers and families of patients. She listens thoughtfully to strained caregivers, knowing and recommending support groups, residential care facilities, and adult day centers. 
• For Development Director Melanie Baron, the time and attention model includes taking an hour each season to decorate the lobby fireplace for patients in the waiting room to enjoy. Together, we fashioned ‘bathing suits’ out of felt for summer, and to Priscilla’s dismay, made a mess of the reception area with real sand. 

I had a great time getting to know all of these staff members, but even more than these encounters, every single person I met at MMC was kind, thoughtful, and a pleasure to get to know. Until now, I don’t think I or any other members of my family ever understood the magnitude of MMC’s work and its impact on their patients. I am so impressed by what my grandfather began, and the MMC staff grew, and I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to work here for three weeks. So, thank you to everyone who made that possible, and thank you to all the patients I had the pleasure of meeting!