Dr. Rebecca Starr joined Health New England in\u00a0March of this year. Her role as Medical Director has a\u00a0special focus on our Medicare Advantage members.<\/p>\n
Dr. Starr is board-certified in Geriatrics and Hospice\/Palliative Care Medicine. Prior to joining Health\u00a0New England, she was a member of the Geriatrics\u00a0Department at Baystate Medical Center where she\u00a0worked closely with patients over age 65 and their\u00a0families. Before that, she was the Medical Director\u00a0of PACE (Program for All-inclusive Care of Elders) at\u00a0Cambridge Health Alliance. The program\u2019s goal was to\u00a0help keep people living at home as independently as\u00a0possible with an eye on safety and quality.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was inspired by my grandparents to become a geriatrician because they always led full and active\u00a0lives,\u201d says Dr. Starr. \u201cThey showed me that an older person can still fulfill their dreams and live the\u00a0way they want. And I want to share their zest for life with others and provide examples of how\u00a0others can have the same quality of life.\u201d<\/p>\n
One grandmother taught yoga until her late 80s and traveled the world, while the other is still\u00a0exercising on the elliptical machine three days a week at age 100.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have seen how exercise and staying active, using your brain, and reading are really important to\u00a0maintaining and improving overall health,\u201d she continues.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy goal at Health New England is to use my knowledge and training to build programs to help\u00a0our members live long and healthy lives,\u201d concludes Dr. Starr. \u201cI want to hear from our Medicare\u00a0Advantage members to find out what they are looking for and how we can add more \u00a0value to\u00a0our offerings.\u201d<\/p>\n