Opinion: Hope PACE: Keeping SWFL's seniors safe, healthy, vibrant as they age in place

As we continue to adapt to the ever-changing world, one thing has remained steadfast – our commitment to helping seniors live safely in our community by providing health care, a warm meal or a hand to hold. National PACE Month is the perfect time to highlight the comprehensive benefits of Hope PACE – a Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly.

Hope PACE participant Gladys Jarvis notes, “I am 80 years old, do not drive anymore but do not feel alone or lost because I have PACE and the wonderful angels giving me help with cleaning and shopping.” Gladys shared that she felt supported throughout the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic too, “We have felt very comforted having you all only a phone call away. Many of our friends here who do not belong to PACE tell us of the problems of not getting their doctor for answers or even unable to get their medications. Someone calls me every week to make sure all is fine and ask if I need anything.”

Gladys and other Hope PACE participants receive coordinated, personalized care to improve their quality of life and age in the place they call home. The program offers solutions for the entire family. A team approach ensures that seniors enjoy choices, dignity and quality care – staying as healthy and active as possible for as long as possible. Caregivers receive professional education and guidance on how they can best support their aging loved one.

Even in the absence of a pandemic, the program’s unique design helps minimize the risk of infection, emergency room visits and hospitalizations for participants by offering clinical care in the comfort of home. Frequent phone calls and telehealth visits with Hope PACE staff members help seniors and their families navigate the many challenges of aging.

Participants receive personal care, prescription drugs and medical supplies as well as safe transportation to critical appointments in colorful Hope Mobiles. Through Hope PACE, seniors can access a robust network of coordinated care, all of which is fully covered.

Having all-inclusive care means that seniors enjoy a multitude of benefits and services beyond those that address medical needs. Hope PACE staff members offer help with social and emotional challenges like loneliness, confusion and anxiety. Fun activities, games and socialization with other participants are some of the most celebrated services of the program.

Having experienced the countless benefits of Hope PACE firsthand, Gladys says, “Some friends have even felt stranded but not us PACE members. Bless you all for taking such good care of us. We don’t feel forgotten.”

Hope PACE is an essential safety net for the physical and emotional health, safety and well-being of our community’s seniors. During National PACE Month in September, we invite your family to tour one of our fully equipped, state-of-the-art Hope PACE Centers located in Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties. You can also visit HopePACE.org to take a five-minute survey to see if you or your loved one qualify for our all-inclusive care. For more details, please call us at 239-985-6400.

Samira K. Beckwith is President and CEO, Hope Healthcare.

Hope PACE is a program of Hope Healthcare, a local, not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing care and comfort for more than 40 years to people of all ages living in Southwest Florida.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Hope PACE: Keeping SWFL's seniors safe, healthy, vibrant