Martha Stewart Cooking, Martha Stewart Home Decor, Martha Stewart Eldercare?

I was a bit surprised when my niece told me about an article she read in one of her magazines. She told me that Martha Stewart has a center geared towards the elderly — It’s called the Martha Stewart Center for Living.

Martha Stewart donated $5 million dollars to develop this center in 2007 in coordination with Mt. Sinai Medical Center. She says she wanted a center different from typical, “sterile” and overcrowded clinics.  Individualized care is stressed as seniors have different needs.

Active Aging

This is their “one-stop-shop” principle. Not only do they receive primary care, they also get a treatment of yoga, art and health education. They key here is to obtain a high quality of life. Few places in the country offer care which includes a holistic approach to elderly care. The clinic itself excudes calmness. Everything is spacious, no sterile white colors — Martha chose earth-tone colors finishes, large windows and stone flooring. This gives it a more “homey” feeling.

This is reminiscent to the Gesundheit Institute founded by Hunter “Patch” Adams where the focus is on the person and not the disease. I think it’s a great thing and I hope that clinics around the country will follow suit. Many times people forget that although an elderly person may be sick, it doesn’t mean that their quality of life has to focus on medication and sustenance. Why? They should be able to feel good too? If they feel good, studies have shown that it can bring biological changes. While it may not cure Alzheimer’s, a good, happy and healthy spirit can do wonders for mental and physical health. How about lower blood pressure? Reduction in depression? What do you think?

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