Member Spotlight – Bluestem PACE
Bluestem PACE, 113 S. Ash, is an amazing resource in our community for residents 55 and better. They offer their participants an alternative to traditional residential care homes and nursing home facilities by enabling them to stay in their homes while providing a full spectrum of services administered and coordinated by Bluestem’s Interdisciplinary Team.
Bluestem PACE is celebrating five years in McPherson! As Emilie Rains, Director of Marketing & Intake, puts it – they are providing “awesome care for seniors!” Bluestem PACE not only serves those living in McPherson County, but also reaches out to participants in Rice, Harvey, Saline, Reno, and Marion Counties as well. PACE is a Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly. That’s what PACE stands for. What that means is that Bluestem PACE partners with seniors, 55 and better, as well as with their community-based loved ones to help them live at home for as long as possible. “And that’s our goal,” Emilie said, “to keep seniors at home where they want to be with their things, and their people, and their pets.”
The way they are able to accomplish that partnership is by providing care through their Interdisciplinary Care Team – and the Care Team that Bluestem PACE has in place is phenomenal! The team includes a Primary Care Physician – who is the medical director, a nurse practitioner, and nurses that provide care both at the day center or in the participant’s home environment.
The Social Work Team is the part of the team which works with each individual participant to make sure their community supports are intact and that their caregivers are feeling supported, especially in times when folks transition in and out of hospitals or a respite stay. The Social Work Team is integral to making sure all those connections happen seamlessly.
Also on the Bluestem PACE team is the registered dietician who makes sure, from a nutritional standpoint, that participants are being well supported enabling them to be in a good place medically. They also have CNAs on the team that serves participants at the day center or in their homes with things like housekeeping or shopping.
PACE also provides all durable medical equipment for participants. That is managed through the Therapy Team which is made up of the physical therapist and occupational therapist and those who help with long-term therapy needs of participants. With Bluestem PACE, participants don’t have to go through all the hoops to acquire the equipment. The team will assist with that process.
Medical transportation is provided for folks in the PACE program, so participant or caregiver concerns of how to get to doctor appointments are alleviated. Bluestem PACE also oversees the medications for everyone in their program. A medication nurse on the team helps participants manage their medications and makes sure seniors are aware of the services and resources available to them.
An alternative Bluestem PACE care site will soon be opening in Hutchinson serving those in the program there. The Hutchinson location will not replace all of the services found at the McPherson site. McPherson will continue to be the hub of the work that PACE does. Most of the critical services, medical care and otherwise, will continue to be provided at the McPherson Bluestem PACE location. PACE is looking at ways to provide supportive services in that area and give participants access to a location like McPherson’s without having to travel. Executive Director Justin Loewen said, “We’ve been blessed after five years to have the opportunity to expand what we’ve begun here and what this community has welcomed with open arms and given us the ability to build out and take at least a portion of this to another community and continue to build on it.”
For more information about Bluestem PACE, give them a call at 620-504-5900, visit their website, or check out their Facebook page! Photos from Chamber Connections hosted by Bluestem PACE can be seen here.