From medical services and nutrition to social activities and transportation, AltaMed PACE helps families like the Ruizs keep loved ones healthy and independent
Xavier Ruiz, 72, is a longtime resident of the Los Angeles’ Highland Park neighborhood. A skilled carpenter in his younger years, he and his wife, Maria, raised five children together.
Today, he is a happy-go-lucky grandpa who still loves woodworking.
Unfortunately, over the past couple of years, diabetes and arthritis have slowed Xavier down. His son, Jesus, has become his live-in caregiver. Jesus was already caring for his maternal grandmother, who has advanced Alzheimer’s disease. Things became more challenging when Maria, Xavier’s wife, was diagnosed with endometrial cancer in March. With three aging and ill seniors in the home, Jesus started looking for a program that could provide a social life for his father and take care of his medical needs, while also easing his own load as a caregiver.
After a family friend recommended AltaMed PACE, Jesus and Xavier took a tour of their Grand Plaza facility in Downtown Los Angeles. The Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), was established by Medicare in 1996 to help seniors with complex medical needs avoid nursing homes. The program helps seniors receive the care and services they need to stay safe, comfortable, and healthy while still living in their own homes.
“I was actually surprised that it’s a full-on service of everything. They have medical facilities and plenty of doctors’ rooms,” Jesus recalls. “Since dad is a diabetic, it is really important that he eats well. Their specialized nutritionist at PACE is actually something that alleviates my process as a caregiver. It is something I don’t have to worry about.”
An AltaMed PACE van stops by to pick Xavier up for his visits, which allows Jesus to remain with his mom and grandma rather than spend hours in traffic each week. PACE offers Xavier care coordination, transportation, social services, and meals. It also provides opportunities for socialization that includes art, fitness, and cultural activities at his local center. This is true for the more than 5,200 participants across 18 AltaMed PACE locations throughout Los Angeles and Orange Counties.
Enrolling Xavier in AltaMed PACE was a breeze. After their tour, Jesus was able to stay in touch with the intake coordinator who answered, and encouraged their questions. “They were very personable. I think that was the best part of it all,” said Jesus.
AltaMed PACE has been a blessing not just for Xavier, but also for Jesus who was finally allowed to have a little “me time” amidst the previously constant medical visits, phone calls, and booking of appointments. “I consider myself to be a poet and so it gives me time to just journal my thoughts and write things out,” he explained. “That’s something that’s beautiful, because I haven’t had time to sit with my thoughts for a while.”
Jesus’ family has been so impressed with AltaMed PACE that, as soon as Maria is through her chemo and radiation treatments, they intend to enroll her as well. “The older we get, the easier it is to be in our own little worlds and be lost in there,” Jesus concluded. “It is important to socialize with others and share our experiences. And I think my mom needs that, too.”
To be eligible for PACE, an individual must
• Have Medicare, Medicaid or both;
• Be at least 55 years old;
• Live in a PACE service area;
• Meet the level of care requirements as determined by the California Department of Health Care Services; and
• Be able to safely live in a community setting with the addition of PACE support at the time of enrollment.
To learn more about the AltaMed PACE program, visit AltaMed.org/PACE or call (855) 252-7223.
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