ICHS PACE at Legacy House: Now accepting applications
International Community Health Services (ICHS) is now accepting participants into its new Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) at Legacy House. PACE services allow patients to “age in place,” meaning they can stay in their homes as they grow older instead of living at a nursing home. A team of doctors, therapists and specialists work together to provide and manage care, most or all of which is provided at the PACE center or at home. Transportation to and from ICHS PACE at Legacy House is also included.
Ric Troyer, MD | ICHS PACE medical directorPACE is team-based. The team talks together about patients and their concerns. A team-crafted care plan that is individualized is a much more robust way to take care of a person to help them meet their goals. The beauty of PACE is that it is inclusive of medical, social and long-term care services.
PACE is geared specifically for people who are nursing-home eligible, having difficulty staying independent and need assistance with their daily function or activities. It is open to seniors age 55 with disabilities, or those age 65 or older, who reside in the PACE service area and are able to live safely in the community with PACE services. There are no costs or out-of-pocket expenses for Medicare and Medicaid-eligible participants. The first step is meeting with an enrollment specialist.
“You’ll complete paperwork and we’ll talk about the program and if it fits your needs. After that, we’ll arrange for a home visit to determine if modifications at home need to be made,” said Dr. Troyer. “The entire interdisciplinary team meets as a group to determine if you can safely live in the community, including the number of caregiving hours, when you will come into the center and if you need durable medical equipment.”
Preparing for a silver wave
ICHS took over the operation of Legacy House, a 75-room assisted living facility, from the Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority (SCIDpda) earlier this year. The facility is the center for the ICHS Healthy Aging and Wellness Program, which manages PACE along with the assisted living center, an adult day care program and daily meal program at the Bush Asia Center.
“It’s been exciting to bring the two organizations together,” said Dr. Troyer. “ICHS’ medical expertise has enhanced the great programs already in place at Legacy House, as well as creates new opportunities to increase services.”
ICHS is helping Washington state prepare for an upcoming “silver tsunami” as the population becomes older and more racially and culturally diverse. The U.S. Census estimates nearly 25% of King County’s total population will be 65 years or older by 2040 — up from about 18%. ICHS plans to meet the area’s needs for affordable and culturally competent senior health services by establishing additional PACE programs. These include AiPACE, a new non-profit organization that partners Kin On and ICHS to open a $20 million PACE center in North Beacon Hill.
“ICHS is stepping up to serve the needs of a multicultural and aging population,” said Teresita Batayola, ICHS president and CEO. “We recognize the best way to care for people is to consider their full spectrum of needs, and especially for services to be delivered in a culturally and linguistically competent way.”
For more information about enrolling in ICHS PACE at Legacy House, call: 206.462.7100.