The top-of-the-line Genesys PACE facility has been up and running since August 1, 2015 in Downtown Flint, near the Flint Farmers’ Market. The new facility is the exclusive provider for Genesee County. There are 114 facilities nationwide, with nine (including Genesys) in Michigan.
PACE is exclusively “participant-focused,” concentrating on their goals and wishes, and keeping them in their homes – and out of the hospital – as long as possible. With a constant re-evaluation of their goals, participants get frequent follow-ups and check-ins to ensure the highest level of care.
PACE is the acronym for “Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly.” A unique quality about PACE is that participants can live at home and spend their days at the facility – almost like a job or school that they can look forward to attending. Although the facility is open 8am to 4:30pm, Monday through Friday, participants can receive in-home care 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every day of the year. PACE provides home-delivered meals and private-duty nurse aids to help with bathing, dressing and basic household chores.
The home care liaison helps determine how much assistance is needed outside of the facility based on participants’ abilities with Activities of Daily Living (ADL). Participants receive as many hours of home assistance as is necessary per month.
PACE participants with dual-eligibility through Medicare and Medicaid usually have no co-pay or out-of-pocket fees. The program is a comprehensive solution to a problem, rather than simply passing off responsibilities to another service, or supplying an ineffective prescription. Each PACE service group formally assesses every participant, and decisions about care are made as a group, not individually.
This program focuses equally on a participant’s mental and physical health. Once at full capacity, there will be six social workers on the PACE staff. The building features large, open spaces in the main lobby and hallways, quiet rooms for naps or down-time, an outdoor gazebo, and a cafeteria that doubles as an activity hall, with a projector screen for movies and Nintendo Wii video games. Of course, arts & crafts and board games are included as part of recreational therapy.
One of the many aspects of PACE is the urgent care clinic, where participants can receive check-ups or urgent care. After hours, participants can call a physician for intervention, and the physician will tell the participant what they should do.
Medical records are easily accessible by all services, as well as individualized emergency care plans. The overall process of handling emergencies is standardized for continuity of care. The care plans includes instructions, “Go to the ER if…” so participants know what to do in case of an emergency.
PACE is certainly well-equipped to continue to care for the 55-and-over community; up to 5,400 residents are eligible for this program. As the program grows, the team will evaluate whether they are in the position to build another facility to accommodate Genesee County’s growing aging population.
Those interested in the Genesys PACE program can attend an open house, which includes an on-site tour and light refreshments. The upcoming dates are: Wednesday, October 28 from 5:30-6:30pm, and Wednesday, November 11 from 1:30-2:30pm. Call 810.236.7500 to register.
