Centra, Central Virginia's Medical Leader

To meet a growing need in the community, Centra is providing a new program to help seniors with fragile health stay safe and as healthy as possible and remain longer in their own homes.

Centra PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) will open Feb. 2 with a new center at 407 Federal Street in downtown Lynchburg. PACE is a comprehensive community-based system of health care designed to deliver all needed medical and supportive services spanning the entire continuum of care for seniors eligible for nursing home care. This program allows frail seniors to live at home and in their community, providing an alternative to nursing home placement.

PACE provides seniors with daily activities, meals, exercise programs, social workers to help with special needs and a health care team that includes a physician, nurses, dietitians and rehabilitation therapists and van drivers to shuttle participants to and from the center and to special appointments.

“We are very excited to offer this program in our community,” said David Adams, Centra senior vice president of senior and rehabilitation services, who oversees Centra PACE. “We know this program will help improve the quality of life for the many people who need these services.”

Verna Sellers, M.D., PACE medical director, who will be the primary physician for PACE participants, said, “We will help manage participant’s medical and preventive care with the idea of keeping them as healthy as possible.”

Centra PACE currently is accepting applications for enrollment. To be eligible, participants must:

• Be age 55 or older
• Live within 30 minutes of downtown Lynchburg
• Be able to live safely in the community with support from PACE
• Meet Virginia criteria for nursing home-level care

Centra PACE will offer a broad range of services including:

• Adult day health care
• Primary care physician and preventive health services
• Transportation
• Home health and personal care services
• Physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy
• Skilled nursing facility and nursing facility services
• Inpatient and outpatient services
• All Medicaid and Medicare covered services provided
• Durable medical equipment, laboratory services, medical supplies and prescription medications
• Medical care provided by physician and interdisciplinary team of health care professionals familiar with history, needs and preferences of each participant

PACE began in 1971 near San Francisco as the Chinatown-North Beach, Calif., community sought long term care options. The National PACE Association formed in 1994 with 11 PACE organizations in nine states.The first Virginia PACE program opened in 1996, and in 2006 the Virginia budget was amended by Gov.Timothy Kaine to provide $1.5 million in start up funds for six Virginia PACE organizations. Centra received approval to develop the program in the central Virginia area.

Centra PACE is a nonprofit program funded through a unique arrangement with Medicaid and Medicare. If a participant is eligible for Medicaid and Medicare – or Medicaid only – there may be no fee to join the program or to receive services provided by Centra PACE.If the participant is eligible for Medicare only, there is a monthly fee. Participants who do not qualify for Medicare or Medicaid may still join PACE for a fee.