PACE Programs in Orchard City CO

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Seniors Blue Book

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Jul 15, 2026

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When an older adult wants to remain at home but needs help managing medical conditions, medications, personal care, transportation, and daily routines, families can quickly find themselves coordinating several separate providers. One office handles primary care, another schedules therapy, a home care agency assists with bathing, and relatives may still be responsible for transportation and communication between everyone involved.

For qualifying adults in Orchard City, the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, commonly known as PACE, offers a more coordinated approach. Instead of asking families to build a care system one service at a time, PACE brings medical care, long-term support, rehabilitation, transportation, medications, and social services together under one program.

PACE stands for Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly. It is a Medicare and Medicaid program designed for adults age 55 and older who need a nursing facility level of care but can continue living safely in the community with appropriate support.

The central idea is coordination. A PACE organization becomes responsible for arranging the participant's covered medical care and supportive services. A team of health professionals assesses the person's physical health, medications, mobility, emotional well-being, living situation, nutrition, and daily support needs. The team then develops and updates an individualized plan of care.

PACE is not a residential senior living community. Participants generally continue living in their own homes, with relatives, or in another approved community setting. They may visit a PACE center for medical appointments, therapy, meals, activities, and social connection. Services can also be delivered in the home when the care plan calls for them. 

A person must meet four core eligibility requirements:

  • Be at least 55 years old
  • Live within the approved service area of a PACE organization
  • Meet Colorado's criteria for a nursing facility level of care
  • Be able to live safely in the community with PACE support at the time of enrollment

Needing a nursing facility level of care does not automatically mean a person must move into a nursing home. It means the individual has medical, functional, or personal care needs significant enough to meet the state's clinical standard. The goal of PACE is to organize enough support for the person to remain in the community whenever that can be done safely. ices Can PACE Include?

PACE can cover a broad range of services when the interdisciplinary care team determines they are necessary. Depending on the participant's assessed needs, services may include:

  • Primary and specialty medical care
  • Nursing services and chronic condition management
  • Prescription and nonprescription medications
  • Hospital, emergency, laboratory, and diagnostic services
  • Physical, occupational, and speech therapy
  • Home health and personal care assistance
  • Dental, vision, hearing, podiatry, and mental health services
  • Durable medical equipment and approved supplies
  • Meals, nutrition counseling, and social activities
  • Transportation to the PACE center and medical appointments
  • Respite and support services for family caregivers
  • Palliative and end-of-life care when appropriate

The exact combination of services is different for each participant. PACE is not a preset package in which everyone receives the same schedule. Care is based on an individual assessment and must be authorized through the PACE care team, except for emergency services.

CommUnity Care - Western Colorado's PACE Provider

Phone: 970-835-2900

Senior CommUnity Care of Colorado is a Volunteers of America program and the first PACE organization to operate in Western Colorado. It serves approved ZIP codes in Delta and Montrose counties, including Orchard City ZIP codes 81410 and 81418. The Delta County PACE center is located at 11485 Highway 65 in Eckert.

The provider's mission focuses on helping older adults maintain quality of life, independence, dignity, and personal choice while living in their own communities. Rather than separating medical care from daily support, Senior CommUnity Care coordinates services through one program and one interdisciplinary care team.

This model can be especially helpful for families who are managing several chronic conditions at once. An older adult may need medication oversight, help with bathing, physical therapy after a fall, transportation to a specialist, nutritional monitoring, and regular social contact. Through PACE, those needs can be reviewed together instead of being handled as unrelated problems. sed Care Plan

Senior CommUnity Care uses an interdisciplinary team to assess and coordinate each participant's care. Depending on the person's needs, the team may involve physicians, nurses, social workers, therapists, dietitians, home care staff, transportation staff, and other professionals.

The care plan is reviewed regularly and can be updated when health conditions, mobility, caregiver availability, or home circumstances change. This creates a clear point of coordination for the participant and family. It also helps reduce the risk that one provider will make a decision without knowing what another provider is doing.

Participants receive care through Senior CommUnity Care and its approved network. In many cases, a participant may be able to continue seeing a current primary care physician when that doctor contracts with the program. Families should ask about specific physicians, specialists, pharmacies, and outside providers during the enrollment process. are, Therapy, and Medication Support

Senior CommUnity Care provides access to primary care, nursing, specialists, laboratory work, imaging, surgery, emergency care, and hospitalization when needed. Nursing support is available around the clock, including nights, weekends, and holidays.

Rehabilitation may include physical therapy to improve strength, balance, movement, and functional ability; occupational therapy to support daily activities; and speech therapy for communication or swallowing needs. Therapists can also evaluate the home and recommend approved modifications or equipment that may improve safety.

Medication services can include coverage of approved prescriptions and nonprescription medications, home delivery, medication management, and help organizing multiple medications. This can be valuable for older adults whose treatment plans involve several prescriptions from different specialists. elp and Caregiver Relief

When included in the participant's plan, in-home services may provide skilled home health care, bathing and dressing assistance, medication help, meal preparation, and light housekeeping. These services are designed to address specific care needs and support safe community living.

PACE can also relieve some of the pressure on family caregivers. A relative may still remain closely involved, but the family is no longer expected to personally coordinate every appointment, therapy visit, medication refill, and ride. Senior CommUnity Care also lists respite services for participants, which can give caregivers time to work, rest, attend appointments, or manage other responsibilities. ation and the PACE Center


Read the Enrollment Agreement Carefully

Before signing, make sure the participant and family understand that PACE becomes the primary source for covered medical and long-term care services. Review participant rights, the grievance and appeal process, emergency care rules, provider choices, costs, and the process for leaving the program. to Ask Before Enrolling

 

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This article was researched and written by Seniors Blue Book. Seniors Blue Book connects seniors, families, and caregivers with trusted local senior care resources across the country. Browse local listings, read expert articles, and order a free printed guide at seniorsbluebook.com.

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