CaringKind Joined the 2026 Davos Brain House at the World Economic Forum to Share New Dementia Risk Reduction Strategies from its Blue Zones Challenge in the Bronx

Released new white paper, "Investing in Brain Health: The Bronx Model for Scalable Dementia Risk Reduction"

Participated in The Brain Economy Lunch with West Health, Rice and Davos Alzheimer's Collaborative

NEW YORK, Jan. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- CaringKind, the nation's first Alzheimer's organization and a trusted leader in dementia care and brain health innovation, today announced it joined the 2026 Davos Brain House at the World Economic Forum where it shared a scalable, community-based model for reducing dementia risk and strengthening brain health as a public health and economic priority.

At Davos, CaringKind released its new white paper, Investing in Brain Health: The Bronx Model for Scalable Dementia Risk Reduction, which presents findings from its 2025 Bronx Blue Zones Challenge four-week pilot program focused on helping residents adopt healthier lifestyles that can support brain health and overall well-being. The paper presents the initiative as a scalable model for dementia risk reduction through lifestyle and community design, particularly in underserved communities where the burden of Alzheimer's is disproportionately high.

"Our partnership with Blue Zones is helping Bronx residents make meaningful, sustainable lifestyle changes that support cognitive health while laying the groundwork for a scalable, citywide model," said Eleonora Tornatore-Mikesh, President and CEO of CaringKind. "We're proud to share our early learnings at The Brain House and collaborate with other leaders to advance our long-term goal: making New York City a Blue Zones Community^® that helps reduce dementia risk at population scale."

"Alzheimer's risk reduction requires addressing the modifiable risk factors that drive cognitive decline," said Dr. Anderson Torres, President and CEO of R.A.I.N. Total Care, Inc. "Early outcomes from the Bronx pilot demonstrates how community-based design and lifestyle interventions can translate into real-world impact, particularly in high-burden communities, and offers an important blueprint for how cities can support healthier aging while reducing the long-term human and economic costs of dementia."

Ben Leedle, CEO of Blue Zones and Co-founder of Blue Zones Project, said: "We're encouraged by the early engagement and energy coming out of the Blue Zones Challenge pilot in the Bronx. It offers meaningful signals about how supportive community environments and lifestyle shifts can support better brain health over time. CaringKind has been an exceptional partner, and we're looking forward to more exploration on a scalable approach to reducing dementia risk in high‑burden communities."

CaringKind President and CEO, Eleonora Tornatore-Mikesh, participated in The Brain House Vitality Lunch, "Brain Economy Lunch with West Health, Rice and Davos Alzheimer's Collaborative." During the forum, CaringKind shared progress from its partnership with Blue Zones in the Bronx, a groundbreaking Blue Zones Challenge pilot program aimed at helping people adopt healthier lifestyles to help reduce the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

To learn more about CaringKind and to download the white paper, please visit https://caringkindnyc.org/learning-hub/publications/bronxwhitepaper/

About the Bronx Blue Zones Challenge
The Bronx Blue Zones Challenge was a pilot initiative designed to test how short-term, community-based lifestyle programs could support long-term brain health. Early outcomes demonstrated strong participant engagement, reported improvements in nutrition and physical activity, increased social connection, and sustained motivation to maintain healthy behaviors beyond the program period.

About CaringKind
CaringKind is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting people impacted by Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. Founded in New York City in 1979 as the nation's first Alzheimer's organization, CaringKind has spent more than four decades providing trusted guidance, education, and programs that help individuals, care partners, families, and professionals navigate the dementia journey with dignity and confidence.

Through its 24/7 Helpline, care consultations, education programs, and community-based initiatives, CaringKind combines compassionate care with evidence-informed approaches that strengthen brain health, support well-being, and reduce dementia risk. CaringKind operates at the intersection of care and science, translating research into real-world support that meets people where they are. Learn more at: caringkindnyc.org

About Blue Zones
Blue Zones employs evidence-based ways to help people live better, longer. The company's work is rooted in explorations and research done by founder and National Geographic Fellow Dan Buettner in blue zones regions around the world, where people live extraordinarily long and/or happy lives. The original research and findings were released in Buettner's bestselling books, The Blue Zones Solution, The Blue Zones of Happiness, The Blue Zones, Thrive, Blue Zones Kitchen, Blue Zones Challenge, and Blue Zones American Kitchen—all published by National Geographic books. An Emmy Award-winning docuseries, Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones, was released on Netflix in 2023. Using original Blue Zones research, Blue Zones works with cities and counties to make healthy choices easier through permanent and semi-permanent changes to our human-made surroundings. Participating communities have experienced double-digit drops in obesity and tobacco use and have saved millions of dollars in healthcare costs. For more information, visit bluezones.com.

Media Contacts
CaringKind
Courtney Dawson
[email protected]

Blue Zones
Naomi Imatome-Yun
[email protected]

SOURCE CaringKind