A Compelling Case for PACE in Lorain County
Programs for All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) delivers coordinated care for those requiring a high level of care to maintain independence. McGregor operates Ohio’s only PACE program limited to residents of Cuyahoga County, but Lorain County leaders think their community is a perfect fit. McGregor has been reaching out to community leaders and state legislators to expand the reach of this valuable program!
Programs for All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) delivers coordinated care outside of an institution for those requiring a high level of medical and social care to maintain independence. An interdisciplinary team of professionals coordinates the care of individuals enrolled in both Medicaid and Medicare to ensure the participants receive the benefits of a comprehensive system of care. Currently, the only PACE program in Ohio through McGregor, is limited to residents of Cuyahoga County.
Local leaders in the aging network of Lorain County would welcome and support a PACE expansion into Lorain County. Lauren Ksiazek, Director of the Lorain County Office on Aging, says she “would be over the moon” if the PACE program could come to Lorain County. Adding “I love the PACE model”. She has visited the McGregor PACE program in Cuyahoga County and talked with its leaders and staff.
Many older adults have concerns about accessing services to support them as they age, including those that live in Lorain County. Over half of residents indicate they do not want to be placed in a long-term care facility and more than a third worry that people will not think they can take care of themselves. Just under thirty percent are worried about losing control of their lives. All of these concerns speak to the worries and anxieties that many feel as their health and mobility decline and are unsure of how their care will be coordinated. The very design of PACE eases those anxieties through the patient centered care coordination teams.
