Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) Comes to Charlottesville Virginia

PACE has come to Charlottesville Virgiina!

PACE stands for Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly.

PACE is a comprehensive healthcare alternative to institutional care for individuals age 55+ who wish to live in their own homes and communities. PACE provides all needed social and medical care, delivered in a coordinated way.  Care provided by PACE includes traditional facility-based care, like hospitals and nursing homes.  It also includes services provided at the unique and innovative Blue Ridge PACE Center at 1335 Carlton Avenue in Charlottesville Virginia.

Participants may go to the Blue Ridge PACE center for meals, field trips, exercise classes, medical care, therapy, and various other activities.  Community based support services are also provided through PACE.  These include in-home care and support and transportation.  Caregiver support is also an important attribute of PACE.

Download the Blue Ridge PACE Summary.

Download the Blue Ridge PACE Quick Facts

I visited Blue Ridge Pace in early 2014 just before they opened.  Watch this video for a tour!

The eligibility requirements are:

1. Participants must be 55+, and
2. Live in Charlottesville or in the county of Albemarle, Nelson, Fluvanna, Greene, or Louisa, and
3. Live safely in the community at the time of the enrollment, and
4. Meet the Virginia state certification for nursing home placement (download Blue Ridge PACE Eligibility Requirements.)

Services

The PACE model provides for all health care-related services that are necessary, as jointly determined by the PACE interdisciplinary team and the participatns and their families/caregivers. By law, the PACE service package must include any services covered by Medicare or Medicaid, including Medicare Part D (drug benefit.) Some of the commonly provided services are:

• Transportation
• Prescription medications
• Vision and hearing
• Dental care
• Rehabilitation and therapy services
• Social services
• Adult day care
• Outpatient medical and surgical services
• Mental health care
• Home care and support
• Home modification and supportive technology
• Nutritional services
• Respite services for the family
• Daily support from an inter-professional care team
• Medication management
• All primary care
• Referrals to medical specialists
• Hospital care
• Assisted living care
• Nursing home care
• Lab work
• End of life support and care
• Durable medical equipment

Cost

Membership in PACE is paid for by Medicaid and Medicare for those who have Medicaid.  Those who do not have Medicaid but wish to join PACE can do so for a set monthly premium. There are no co-pays, co-insurance, or deductibles for any service for any participant of PACE

To contact Blue Ridge Pace, call (434) 529-1300 or visit the Blue Ridge PACE center at 1335 Carlton Avenue, Charlottesville, VA 22902 (Open Monday – Friday, 7:00am – 6:00pm.)

For more information about PACE, refer to these websites:  Riverside PACE, National PACE, Blue Ridge PACE

For more articles like this, see:  Resources for Central Virginia, Aging in Place, Long Distance Caregiving.

Know someone who worries about their elderly parent in Charlottesville, Staunton, or Harrisonburg Virginia? Care is There Geriatric Care Management can help! Have them contact me, Elizabeth, for a free consultation: 434.326.5323ext 2 or Elizabeth@careisthere.com.

For more information about our services, and to read testimonials from our clients, visit our website. Also, view this short video about our care management services.

Elizabeth Swider, Certified Senior Advisor and Certified Aging in Place Specialist
President, Care is There Geriatric Care Management
Support for independent living and long distance caregiving; assisted living enhancement