The National PACE Association Encourages Seniors to Consider Options During “Older Americans Month”

May is Older Americans Month and a great time to reiterate to your aging loved ones just how important it is to plan for their long term care needs.   

“Too often we find ourselves trying to learn about our long term care options in the midst of a crisis when we have to make decisions very quickly,” said Shawn Bloom, President and CEO of the National PACE Association.  “Many loved ones have the goal of remaining at home, which is much more likely if families take the time to educate themselves and plan in advance.” The celebration of Older Americans Month can provide the opportunity to have the difficult discussion with elderly family members and friends about their plans for their future.

With the recession impacting state budgets and national health care reform changing the health care landscape, the National PACE Association is using the May celebration of Older Americans Month to urge families to look more closely at how aging loved ones are planning for their care needs.  For some families this means having the tough conversations about the eventuality that a loved one may need to access long term care services and supports. To assist families better understand their long term care options, the National PACE Association  encourages families to visit  www.PACE4You.org, an easy-to-understand Web site that provides background on the Program of All Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) model of care. 

When the time comes to make these difficult decisions many people are unaware that PACE programs exist as an option that will allow a loved one in need of nursing home care to remain at home.  PACE is rapidly growing as an innovative model of care that provides older Americans with the care services and supports that enables them to live in their own homes and age with dignity.

Developed more than 30 years ago, the PACE model of care provides an innovative alternative to nursing homes paid for by Medicare and Medicaid. The common sense approach that the PACE team uses to provide medical care and coordinate support services helps keep people in their homes so they can be near friends and family. 

It is the hands-on approach and individualized patient attention that makes PACE unique from every other long term care option and so successful in helping seniors remain healthy and independent.  To help families understand and learn more about PACE programs, The National PACE Association’s Web site, www.PACE4You.org, is an easy-to-understand portal that provides background on the PACE model of long term care.  Visitors can view a PACE video that tells the stories of PACE participants and their families, read testimonials and access a PACE Program Finder that helps people find a PACE program in their community.

“As society gets older and 77 million Baby Boomers near retirement, it’s crucial to provide education on long term care options. Technological advancements have allowed people of all ages, from seniors to caregivers, access to medical care information online,” said Bloom “Because of this, www.PACE4You.org was created to offer a straight-forward, yet comprehensive resource featuring the benefits of coordinated care to improved quality of life that a PACE program offers.”

With 73 PACE programs now operating in 30 states, older Americans around the country have an even greater opportunity to benefit from the PACE approach. The popularity of these programs has increased quickly because PACE effectively maintains the health, independence and dignity of seniors with long term care needs as they age by emphasizing preventive and primary care as well as nutrition, transportation and most other services that support the health and well-being of program participants.,

At the core of PACE is a team of caregivers that forms a medical home for each participant to ensure all aspects of their medical, social, and therapeutic needs are met.  Although consider by many to be a cutting edge care concept, PACE has employed the medical home model since its inception. “The care team is the magic of PACE.  It’s this team of providers, who know their patients so well and interact with them daily, who make it possible for seniors to live at home and age with dignity,” said Bloom. “By coordinating the care needs of each senior, the PACE team provides the helping hands so important to the health and well being of aging adults.”

PACE programs’ documented results in preserving wellness, supporting healthy outcomes, and promoting quality of life help reduce hospital visits and avoid nursing home admissions. 

By avoiding these costs, PACE programs reduce expensive care interventions and provide families with piece of mind that their loved one is receiving the best possible care in the most appropriate setting. 

“Older Americans Month is a great opportunity for Americans to begin talking with their loved ones about where and how they want to receive care when the time comes,” said Bloom.  “By going to www.PACE4You.org, people can learn more about PACE, its availability, and why it may be the best care option for them.”

About NPA:

The National PACE Association works to advance the efforts of Programs of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) to support, maintain, safeguard and promote the provision of quality, comprehensive and cost-effective health care services for frail older adults.  More information on NPA and PACE is available at www.npaonline.org.

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