No one wants to be in a long-term care facility, but there may come a time when you — or your loved ones, your caregivers — have to admit you need help in order to remain in your home.
There is an alternative to moving into a long-term care facility, a program of all-inclusive services that will help participants stay in their own home while receiving essential medical and social services as well as help in maintaining independence and emotional well-being. That program is called PACE, which stands for “Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly.”
Shown are Colleen Schindler, Executive Director and Erin Steele, Director of Marketing and Enrollment at the PACE Day Center.
PACE is a nationally recognized program that has been around for 50 years and now serves seniors in more than 30 states. In Delaware, eligible participants are those 55 and older who are able to live safely in the community but need assistance with at least one activity of daily living and at least one independent activity, such as driving, cooking or shopping.
PACE Your LIFE is the newest program now serving central Delaware. Located in the Milford Wellness Village in the heart of Milford, PACE Your LIFE opened in May 2022. PACE Your LIFE is available to residents of certain zip codes in southern Kent and northern Sussex counties. The service area includes zip codes 19933, 19934, 19941, 19943, 19946, 19950, 19952, 19954, 19958, 19960, 19962, 19963, 19968 and 19979.
PACE Your LIFE is not a nursing home, and the PACE Your LIFE Day Center — more than a senior center — is the heart of the program. At the center, participants can receive medical care, occupational and physical therapy, exercise, nutritional counseling, transportation and much more. Social services, primary care services, specialty physician care and lab tests are available at the Day Center. The center also provides socialization, recreation and meals, so participants are able to enjoy activities in a safe environment. Transportation to and from the center is provided, as is transportation to medical appointments within the community.
Individuals enrolled in PACE Your LIFE work with a full interdisciplinary team of experienced professionals who help determine a specific plan of care that will best meet their needs, help them improve or maintain their health and allow them to remain independent in their own home for as long as possible. The team includes a primary care provider, registered nurse, recreational therapist, dietitian, physical and occupational therapists, center director, home care coordinator, personal care assistants, transportation care assistants and a social worker.
Each team member works regularly with each participant. They get to know you, your living situation, your challenges, needs and preferences. Each member of the team learns your goals for the program and recommends a care plan specifically for you. These recommendations are put together in an all-inclusive plan for managing your care.
The plan is reassessed semi-annually or whenever there is a change in condition. The team is intensely involved in your day-to-day activities. They see you on a regular basis, so they are more likely to notice when something is not right. This proactive approach helps reduce the need for emergency room visits and hospitalizations or nursing home stays. The goal is to keep people at home and thriving, and provide support to the caregiver.
PACE Your LIFE supports your family members and other caregivers with caregiving training, support groups and respite care.
While services are provided primarily in the PACE Day Center, they also may be provided in the participant’s home or within the PACE provider network. Personal home care is available, for example, for those who have difficulty bathing at home because they can’t get into a tub or their bathroom is on the second floor. You can receive assistance with bathing at home, or have the option to have a shower at the center with the help of a personal care assistant.
PACE Your LIFE also includes all other services that are available in your area and are determined necessary by your team of health care professionals to improve and maintain your overall health. PACE Your LIFE can provide all personal supplies. The focus of PACE Your LIFE is to help you live in your community for as long as possible.
All this sounds great, but how are you going to pay for it?
What you pay depends on your financial situation. PACE Your LIFE services are free to seniors who qualify for Medicare and/or Long-Term Care Medicaid. A Medicaid eligibility specialist is part of the enrollment team and can assist with the Long-Term Care Medicaid process.PACE your LIFE Director of Marketing and Enrollment Erin Steele provided answers. If you don’t qualify for Medicaid, you will pay a flat monthly premium to cover the long-term care portion of the PACE benefit and a premium for Medicare Part D drugs. There is never a deductible or copayment for any drug, service or care approved by the PACE team, as that is all part of the flat monthly premium. “The private cost may sound significant, but it is a fraction of the cost of a nursing home,” Steele noted.
“We are both the health insurance company and the provider,” she explained. “Participants who choose to enroll agree to receive all their services through PACE Your LIFE. All participants maintain the right to dis-enroll at any time.”
“When you enroll, you relinquish Medicare and/or Long-Term Care Medicaid and receive a PACE Your Life insurance card. When you see a provider or go to the hospital, they bill us and we pay,” Steele said. “We authorize the care and give the green light for the care. There is no red tape and mess for your family.”
Steele offered one piece of advice: “Knowledge is power. Start looking at what is available for your aging journey now so you can remain at home for as long as possible. When the situation becomes a crisis, it can be very overwhelming to make a well-informed decision. Also, come to us when you first receive a diagnosis (that indicates you will need help to remain in your home). The earlier we enroll a participant, the better we can manage their care and can extend the quality of life.
If they wait too long, it can be more challenging for PACE Your LIFE to manage the care and symptoms. Let us help you remain safe and happy in your home.”
Contact PACE Your LIFE at 302-865-3565 or visit www.paceyourlifemwv.com to see if you or someone you know qualifies for these services.
