April 24, 2002

NEW YORK— The Care Center of Senior Health Partners is celebrating its first year of operation this month. Based on the national Program of All-inclusive Care (PACE) model, Senior Health Partners is a managed long-term care program for seniors. It is sponsored by Mount Sinai Hospital, Jewish Home, and Met Council of New York.

Located on the upper East side just a half block from Central Park, the Center provides comprehensive care for seniors while allowing them to live at home. After just one year of operation the Center is already more than half full.

Senior Health Partners provides participants with care and services. The Center's physicians, nurses, social workers, physical therapists, occupational therapists, dietitians and other health workers provide participants with coordinated care. The program is designed to help them stay in their own home as long as possible.

Participants receive all the services they need regardless of whether they are covered under the Senior Health Partners plan, Medicare, or Medicaid traditional coverage. During the day participants may attend the adult day center for both health and social services. They receive a mix of health services, meals, and there are interesting things to do including social activities with new friends.

In the evenings participants return to the familiarity of their own home. They receive assistance and care in their home if it is needed. Senior Health Partners provides door-to-door transportation to and from the center and to medical appointments.

Four years ago Senior Health Partners was little more than a concept when CEO and President Christine R. Klotz was hired to get it up and running. Although previously experienced with the PACE model — she developed one of the original PACE demonstration sites for Sutter Health in California in the 1990s — Ms. Klotz said it "has been an interesting challenge."

Bruce Vladek, Executive VP of Mount Sinai, chairman of the Senior Health Partners board and former director of HCFA in the Clinton administration, said in a speech in Washington, DC last year that "the smartest thing we did was hire Chris."

Ms. Klotz was with ViaHealth of Rochester, NY before assuming the leadership of Senior Health Partners. She has a BS in Occupational Therapy from the University of Southern California and a Masters in Health Administration from the University of Colorado.

More information about the Senior Health Partners program is available by calling (800) 633-9717. Their Web site is at www.shpny.org.