Paula E. Lester, MD

I chose to become a geriatric medicine physician so I could help people live for as long as possible and in the best possible health. Because older adults have a wide range of medical conditions and functional and cognitive disabilities, they need support to maintain their quality of life and functional abilities. I enjoy working in this field because of the connections I make with patients and their families and caregivers.

My team and I treat patients who are 65 years and older, including healthy older adults seeking a primary care provider with geriatrics expertise, older adults with chronic medical conditions, and those with cognitive impairment, such as dementia. My patients range from people who are active and healthy to those who are frail or sick. As a certified internist, geriatrician, and palliative medicine physician, I enjoy providing a wide range of care to the diverse geriatrics population.

My promise to patients is to provide compassionate care always, along with humor and hugs when appropriate. My highest priority is to set realistic goals of care for each patient and weigh the risks and benefits of each treatment.

Additionally, because of my concerns about the lack of geriatricians to provide care to the aging population in this country, I serve as chair of the Geriatrics Task Force of the New York Chapter of the American College of Physicians. I am also a board member of the New York Medical Directors Association and the Metropolitan Area Geriatrics Society, and I’m a member of the Clinical Practice Guidelines Committee for The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine Annual Conference. In these roles, I strive to promote the field of geriatrics and improve care for older adults more widely.