Fallon Health has long been dedicated to caring for those who participate in our
Summit ElderCare program
—a Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE)—and to providing information and resources for family members who care for older adults at home.
Supporting older adults through PACE
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, we needed to modify care delivery for the 1,200 people who participate in PACE. Here are some of the steps we’ve taken:
- Keeping our six PACE centers—in Leominster, Lowell, Springfield, Webster and Worcester—open to participants who require the day program to remain safe in the community.
- Moving much of the care, including clinical visits and activities to mitigate social isolation, into the community.
- Having our providers, nurses and health aides see participants in their homes.
- Delivering meals.
- Dropping off medication.
- Supplying activity packets.
- Checking in by phone and video chat.
- Temporarily transforming our newest PACE site at 288 Grove St., Worcester, into a 24/7 infirmary to care for eligible participants who tested positive for coronavirus, are actively symptomatic and need sub-acute care.
“It is a great honor to be trusted to provide our participants with individualized care, especially now when there is so much at stake,” said Robert Schreiber, M.D., Vice President and Medical Director of Summit ElderCare. “It is our hope that the steps we’ve taken provide a source of comfort to participants, their loved ones and their caregivers during these challenging times.”
Online community for caregivers
For family caregivers, the social isolation that has come with the coronavirus pandemic can feel like a significant burden—and make difficult circumstances even harder to deal with. “It’s important to your own health and well-being to find ways, no matter how small, to lighten it,” Lemire says.