Health
Martha Stewart Opens Two New York Centers Offering Integrated Care for Older Adults
In 2007, Martha Stewart donated the Martha Stewart Center for Living to Mount Sinai Hospital on the Upper East Side. Inspired by her mother, Martha Kostyra, who remained active until 93, the center was created to treat older adults as whole individuals rather than a list of diagnoses. In 2019, a second location opened at 10 Union Square downtown. The new site offers specialists in more than 20 fields—including cardiology, gastroenterology, cancer care, dermatology, orthopaedics and rheumatology—as well as radiology and physical therapy, making it a one‑stop shop for wellness and treatment.
Dr. Nathan Goldstein, professor of geriatrics and palliative medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and chief of geriatrics for Mount Sinai Downtown, explained that the goal is to give older adults the services and support they need to live with health and dignity. The centers provide care and wellness programs such as tai chi, yoga, music therapy, nutrition planning and fall prevention. They also offer seminars on planning, medication management, depression, long‑term care insurance and financial advice.
Each new patient receives a full geriatric assessment that includes emotional well‑being, family support, coping skills and daily functioning. Patients are assigned a social worker, and family members and caregivers can join support groups. Goldstein said, "We take care of very sick older adults with complicated medical histories, but our goal is ensuring wellness through holistic, interdisciplinary and patient‑centred care. A large part of that is empowering adults aged 65 and older to make their own healthcare decisions and participate directly in their own health maintenance."
Mount Sinai data show that patients at the Martha Stewart centers have half as many emergency‑room visits as other older adults, shorter hospital stays, and 50 % fewer readmissions after a hospital stay. The downtown center recorded nearly 5,000 patient visits in its first year. "We have an incredibly dedicated staff of physicians, nurse practitioners, social workers and others who know our patients beyond their clinical needs," Goldstein said.
The centers also train medical students, pharmacy residents and postgraduate trainees. Physicians in training work alongside senior geriatricians on research into ageing and patient care. "Given this country’s rapidly ageing population, the need for the kind of specialised training in geriatrics we provide at our Center has never been greater. Developing the skills of physicians in outpatient medicine and ambulatory practice will be absolutely essential to keeping older adults functional and out of the hospital over the next 20 to 30 years," Goldstein added.
The Martha Stewart Centers now play a crucial role in how people age in New York.
Frequently asked questions
What specialties are available at the Martha Stewart Centers?
The centers offer specialists in more than 20 fields, including cardiology, gastroenterology, cancer care, dermatology, orthopaedics, rheumatology, radiology, and physical therapy.
How have the centers affected emergency room visits and readmissions?
Mount Sinai data show patients at the centers have half as many emergency‑room visits, shorter hospital stays, and 50 % fewer readmissions after a hospital stay.
What training opportunities do the centers provide?
The centers train medical students, pharmacy residents, and postgraduate trainees, with physicians in training working alongside senior geriatricians on research into ageing and patient care.