Valley is aware of the nationwide supply disruption of IV fluid solution due to Hurricane Helene, and wants to reassure the community that steps have been taken to ensure the situation will have no negative impact on our patients and the community.
The Geriatric Care team at Valley provides specialized care to meet each patient’s individual needs. Learn more about the team below:
Bennett Leifer, MD
Medical Director, Geriatric Services, Valley Medical Group
Dr. Leifer is the Medical Director of Geriatric Services for Valley Medical Group. With over 30 years of experience, he is board-certified and oversees the department of geriatrics, outpatient care of geriatric patients, and transitions of care to help coordinate the transition into the post-acute rehabilitation setting. Dr. Leifer specializes in geriatric assessments, including cognitive disorders, Alzheimer’s disease, and related dementias; behavioral problems associated with dementia, neurodegenerative disorders, polypharmacy, and management of frail medical patients in the community setting while maintaining the highest level of function.
Dr. Leifer’s goal is to maximize the functional status of seniors in the community to help them remain in the community setting and remain as independent as possible. He also focuses on the smallest number of medicines at the lowest and safest doses to avoid medication interactions and iatrogenic illness, where a patient can become sicker from medications.
Dr. Leifer is also a core faculty member for the Internal Medicine Residency Program at Valley Health System, in partnership with the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where he supervises the geriatric rotation for the residents. He also serves as the Medical Director of the Family of Caring Skilled Nursing Facility in Ridgewood.
Alicia Prowse, MD
Dr. Prowse is board certified in geriatrics and internal medicine and has been a part of Valley for over 10 years. She specializes in the care of the oldest and most frail patients and believes deeply in finding ways to keep them functioning, comfortable, and happy for as long as possible. Dr. Prowse completes in-depth geriatric assessments from the start of care and works closely with other physicians and agencies when necessary to help with transitions of care between the home, rehab centers, hospitals, and other facilities.
Dr. Prowse is a strong believer in the importance of physical, occupational, and speech therapy in helping patients maintain function. She helps to discern other needs a patient may have and always keeps a patient’s life experiences and functional status in mind as she plans their care. Dr. Prowse also helps families come to terms with the aging process and helps both patients and families differentiate between medical illness and the normal aging process.
Dr. Prowse currently treats patients at a Valley Medical Group location in Midland Park. She also attends to patients at the Family of Caring Skilled Nursing Facility in Ridgewood.