Maimonides Health Geriatric Medicine names new chief, expands primary care, consults, and home-based services for patients 65 and older

Brooklyn’s population is aging, and the demand for specialized geriatric care is growing alongside it. To meet that need, Maimonides Health has expanded its Division of Geriatrics under the leadership of Alan Levenson, MD, newly appointed Chief of Geriatric Medicine and a board-certified geriatrician with more than 25 years of experience practicing in Brooklyn. 

“We focus on putting many aspects of medicine together so people can be more functional for more years, live longer, and do better,” says Dr. Levenson. 

That whole-person approach is more accessible than ever. Maimonides is expanding outpatient geriatric services, with significant growth in dedicated primary care for patients 65 and older, outpatient multidisciplinary consultation services, and home visits for both primary care and post-acute care patients.  

Expanding dedicated primary care for patients 65 and older

For older patients who need a primary care provider with specialized geriatric training, Maimonides’ geriatrics specialists offer comprehensive care designed around their unique needs, available at the Maimonides Doctors Multispecialty Pavilion. 

The board-certified geriatric physician team goes beyond standard annual visits. Every patient receives a structured, whole-person assessment grounded in what geriatricians call the 4 Ms: 

• What matters most: Understanding a patient’s priorities, fears, and goals. Older patients are often less worried about mortality than they are about pain, being a burden on their family, or losing their independence. 

• Mobility: Assessing fall risk and determining what assistive equipment, if any, a patient needs to move safely at home and in the community. 

• Mentation: Screening for cognitive changes and determining how memory or reasoning shifts may affect care decisions. 

• Medication: Reviewing the full medication list. Older patients who see multiple providers often accumulate prescriptions that may interact, overlap, or no longer be appropriate. 

 

“For a lot of our patients, every doctor they go to gives them a new medicine,” Dr. Levenson says. “We look at the whole picture, taking stock of all of it, making sure their medication plan is safe, cohesive, and meeting their current needs.”

The team also evaluates activities of daily living, including dressing, meal preparation, and more advanced tasks like managing finances and medications at home.

“We also screen for social risk factors including housing instability, nutritional deficiency, and social isolation,” Dr. Levenson says. 

Home medical care for the elderly

Some patients reach a point at which getting to a clinic is no longer feasible, or comes with significant drawbacks. They may be homebound due to illness, injury, or age-related functional decline. Without access to care at home, they face a higher risk of missed medications, unmanaged conditions, and preventable hospitalizations.

Maimonides Geriatrics provides home-based care led by nurse practitioners specializing in geriatrics. The team handles chronic condition management, prescriptions, diagnostic testing, home safety assessments, and care coordination. Telehealth visits are also available when an in-person visit isn’t needed.

Eligible patients are 65 or older, homebound due to illness or injury, and managing one or more chronic conditions. If hospitalization becomes necessary, the geriatrics team manages the admission and discharge plan directly.

“A patient could see a doctor in their office for years, and then as they age, it becomes more difficult to come in,” Dr. Levenson says. “Our team can come directly to them, ensure they have their renewed prescriptions, and make sure they’re not going to develop any other issues.”

Home visits also include a review of the patient’s living environment—checking for fall hazards, evaluating whether the layout supports safe daily function, and assessing whether the patient has what they need to eat well and stay active.

A consultation partner for the most complex older patients

Older patients are more likely to be managing multiple conditions, taking several medications, and recovering more slowly from procedures and hospitalizations. When complexity increases, a geriatrician can offer a broader clinical lens. 

The new geriatrics consultation service is available to any primary or specialty care provider in need of a geriatric perspective on a patient’s care. Medical teams can request a comprehensive review of a patient’s functional status, cognitive health, medication burden, fall risk, and other factors contributing to overall health. For patients who have undergone or are planning surgery, surgical teams can request a pre- or postoperative risk assessment, and geriatricians can work with each patient’s trusted primary care physician to develop and follow through on goals of care. 

“Older adults have a higher risk of developing complications after an operation,” Dr. Levenson explains. “Having their elderly patients seen by us may help surgeons predict which patients are at higher risk—or weigh in on whether a patient is fit for a complicated procedure at all.”

The consultation team looks at the full picture: physical function, cognitive screening, fall risk, nutrition, and social determinants of health. This approach helps any referring provider make more informed decisions for older patients who may not fit neatly into age-standard clinical protocols.

Transitional care: reducing readmissions after discharge

The period following a hospital stay or ER visit is one of the most vulnerable for older adults. Medications may have changed. Physical strength is often lower than before admission. Care instructions can be confusing. As a result, hospital readmission rates remain persistently high. 

Maimonides Geriatrics offers targeted transitional care for recently discharged older patients. The home-based “Safe at Home” program follows up with older patients shortly after discharge to catch problems early—before they lead to a return trip to the emergency department or hospital.

“A lot of things can happen in this short period after discharge,” Dr. Levenson says. “They mix up their medicine, or things change. They’re not as strong as they were. They may be dealing with pain and mobility challenges they didn’thave previously. So, they need more support in the community.”

By providing early, in-home follow-up from a geriatrics-trained provider, the program helps reduce readmissions and supports a smoother, safer recovery.

Why expanded geriatric specialty care matters now

Geriatricians are among the rarest specialists in healthcare. The population of adults over 65 is projected to grow substantially over the next decade, yet the number of board-certified geriatricians in the U.S. has not kept pace. In Brooklyn, one of the most densely populated and diverse urban communities in the country, access to specialized geriatric care has historically been limited. 

Dr. Levenson has practiced geriatric medicine in Brooklyn since 1999 and has been affiliated with Maimonides for decades. In his new role leading the Division of Geriatrics, he hopes to build depth and capacity in a specialty in high demand in the community.  

“I’m a local doctor, and I’ve been affiliated with Maimonides for years,” he says. “In our city and in the U.S. at large, we have an aging population, and people are living longer and healthier, and therefore they need healthcare to continue to keep them well. We have an expanded team of specialists who are helping Brooklynites age safely and in a healthy way, and we’re continuing to build our capacity to deliver that.”

When to refer to Maimonides Geriatrics

Consider a geriatrics referral or consultation for patients who:  

• Are 65 or older with two or more chronic conditions 

• Are homebound or have limited ability to attend office visits 

• Are scheduled for a major procedure and require surgical risk assessment 

• Have experienced a recent fall or have a high fall risk 

• Have recently been discharged from the hospital and need follow-up support 

• Have unmet social needs affecting their health, such as food insecurity or social isolation 

• Show signs of cognitive decline or confusion 

• Take five or more medications 

 

A trusted partner for your older patients

Learn more about Maimonides Geriatric Medicine. To refer a patient for primary care or to request a consultation for an inpatient or outpatient case, call 718-283-7071 or schedule an appointment online.