TRU PACE Archives

PACE Home Care

November 7, 2019 by Elizabeth Neufeld

TRU PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) coordinates and provides care for older individuals so they can continue living safely in their community and receive care directly in their home through our PACE Home Care program. Many of these individuals receive their care at the TRU PACE Day Center, which includes social space and programming, as well as a medical clinic and a rehab gym. At least 60% of PACE participants also get a CNA and home visit.

TRU PACE provides initial assessments for all participants in order to determine which services are needed and where they will best be served. An individualized plan of care is developed, and participants who will be better served at home will receive care where they live, within their community. Home care can include light housekeeping, grocery shopping, meal preparation and delivery, personal care, and medication reminders. It can also include physical therapy, occupational therapy, medical care, and more! The PACE patient community is very diverse, made of individuals from different backgrounds and with a variety of health issues.

Recently, a team from PACE Home Care visited a gentleman to assess his needs and health status. The man clearly takes pride in his appearance with freshly ironed clothing and his home immaculate and clean, but unfortunately had very poor living conditions. Doing the best with what the man had, he still could not afford the copays required from his benefits. When asked why he was continuing on this way the man replied, “because there is no one to help”.

Enter PACE. From the moment that PACE Home Care visited, the man has been a part of the PACE program. Their home visit assessed the man’s living situation and was able to determine the best support for his future health and overall quality of life. Everyone who comes into the program gets assistance, regardless of their ability to pay.

The overall goal of PACE Home Care is to keep individuals safe at home for as long as possible. PACE Home Care works to ensure that each person gets the right care at the right time. Things we often take for granted, such as the ability to bathe, grocery shop, and go out in public, are returned to PACE Home Care participants through simple actions of support such as installed shower chairs, meals on wheels, medication reminders, and dental care.

Kyle Engstrom, the Home Care Coordinator for PACE, shared this story saying,

“Our home care nurses get to see participants in their homes, in their own environments where they spend their lives outside of the Pace Day Center. Our nurses make sure they’re getting the assistance they need to be at home safely. The home care aides are very much the unsung heroes. They see our home care participants weekly, sometimes daily, and help prevent accidents in the home and improve the participants’ overall health and outlook on life. I think it’s cool. These are things we take for granted and are the fundamentals of health.”

TRU PACE serves seniors from all walks of life. Our program can enroll individuals who meet the following eligibility requirements:

At least 55 years old
Living in our PACE service area
Certified by the State of Colorado as needing nursing-home-level care, and
Able to live safely in the community with PACE services at the time of enrollment.

Learn more about the PACE program by visiting the National PACE Organization.

TRU PACE participants must receive all needed healthcare, including primary care and specialty physician services (other than emergency services) from TRU PACE contracted providers. TRU PACE participants may be fully and personally liable for costs of any unauthorized out-of-network services. TRU PACE participants may disenroll at the end of any month.
TRU Community Care is a Colorado-licensed, Medicare and Medicaid-certified, nonprofit health care organization serving the greater Boulder, Broomfield, Adams, Jefferson, and Weld Counties. We rely on the support of our donors, sponsors, and community to provide the services necessary. To learn more about how you can support TRU Community Care, please visit www.trucare.org/donate

The Community of TRU PACE

October 23, 2019 by Elizabeth Neufeld

TRU Community Care’s PACE program is devoted to providing medical, communal, and preventative support to PACE participants, enabling them to live as independently as possible. PACE’s day program is filled with daily meals, activities, and laughter, building a community for an often overlooked demographic in the greater Boulder community. We are proud to provide the services to fill the needs of individuals 55 and older and their families. Our staff and participants often form friendships that are mutually beneficial.

Nataly is a Day Center CNA at TRU PACE. She, along with all of the staff, is very warm, kind, and caring with the PACE Participants. She loves working for TRU PACE, saying, “it is like a family” and “the best job I have ever had”. Nataly also enjoys creating bonds with the participants. The feeling of family is tangible in the PACE Day Center. Nataly states, “TRU cares about you, how you’re feeling, and what you’re doing” in life and professionally. Staff and PACE Participants are often learning and growing from each other. Nataly, pictured with PACE Participant, Bobbie, is honored to serve TRU PACE with her expertise and generous heart of service. Her relationship with Bobbie has grown over time and often feels like family.

Bobbie, like many participants, attends TRU’s “wrap-around services” with weekly events and check-ups, and enjoys the companionship that TRU Community Care provides for all PACE Participants. When asked how she feels about the staff of TRU PACE, Bobbie replied, “They are so loving and kind. There is always room for a joke.” Bobbie is a big hit in the Day Center and enjoys the welcoming feeling every day she arrives as she does a classic “Miss America” wave. Bobbie said she “feels comfortable here, like home”. That is the TRU goal and mission of the PACE program.

TRU PACE allows the participants to live independently within the community so they are not isolated in their homes. If interested in learning more about TRU Community Care and the TRU PACE program, please visit https://www.trucare.org/our-services/tru-pace/ .

TRU PACE Art Gallery Opening

May 28, 2019 by Elizabeth Neufeld

Last week, more than 60 people joined TRU PACE to celebrate the opening of our art gallery featuring the works of PACE participants and visiting artist, Al Canner. The artwork created by PACE participants was produced through the therapeutic art program, Purple Art.

Al Canner, a fiber artist, is the chairman of the TRU Ethics Committee and our first featured community artist. We are grateful to have his intricate work featured with the works of PACE participants.

TRU PACE participants artist cards are available with a small donation in support of PACE programming by emailing LeslieMader@trucare.org.

If you were not able to come to the TRU PACE Art Opening and would like to view the pieces, showings are available by appointment only. Please make a scheduled viewing by contacting Leslie Mader at 303.665.0115.

Thank you to everyone who attended and helped make the TRU PACE Art Gallery Opening a hit!

Stay in the loop for our next TRU PACE Art Opening and other events by signing up for our newsletter at https://bit.ly/2ZbzPdk.

TRU Community Care Awarded $250,000 Grant from Weinberg Foundation

September 29, 2017 by TRU Community Care

For Immediate Release – September 29, 2017

(Lafayette, CO) — TRU Community Care is the recipient of a $250,000 grant for its capital campaign. Awarded by The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation of Baltimore, Maryland, the grant brings the total giving to almost $5 million, just shy of TRU’s $6 million goal. With this grant, the Weinberg Foundation will name the rehabilitation gym in the TRU PACE Center, where participants receive physical, occupational, speech and other necessary therapies.The capital campaign began in 2015 to raise funds for the new TRU PACE and Grief Services building located in Lafayette. PACE stands for Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly.

TRU Grief Services supports hospice families and the community at large with individual grief counseling and support groups. About 2,500 individuals each year benefit from services. Thirty percent have been served by TRU Hospice, and 70% are community members who have suffered some type of loss.

TRU PACE is now enrolling eligible seniors who live in Boulder and southwest Weld Counties. This innovative program, which began on March 1, serves residents by providing preventive, primary, acute and long-term care services that enable these elderly individuals to continue living safely in the community.

The Weinberg Foundation is committed to helping low-income older adults age in their communities with independence, dignity, and maximum quality of life,” said Aaron Merki, Weinberg Foundation Program Director, Older Adults. “PACE programs, including TRU PACE, play a vital role in fulfilling that commitment by providing and coordinating a variety of supports and services.

TRU PACE is available to people 55 years or older who are certified by the State of Colorado to need nursing-home-level care. The program supports clients to live as independently as possible and helps participants and their families navigate the complicated issues associated with aging. Individuals in Boulder County or southwest Weld County, who are currently living safely in the community, are encouraged to call and inquire about enrolling in TRU PACE.

TRU PACE’s goal is to help seniors in our community age in place,” says Executive Director Bob Thorn. “With the aging population in our community projected to grow 69% during the next 25 years, TRU Community Care is seizing the opportunity to continue its leadership by adding a Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) to our cadre of services.

As a program that serves seniors from all walks of life, TRU PACE is a Medicare/Medicaid covered program for participants. Clients in the TRU PACE program must receive all their health care, primary care and specialty physician services (other than emergency services) from TRU PACE providers. TRU PACE is part of the National PACE Organization (www.npaonline.org).

To learn more or to enroll in the TRU PACE program, individuals should call 303.665.0115, email pace@trucare.org or visit pace.trucare.org.

About TRU Community Care

TRU Community Care provides end-of-life hospice and palliative care as well as grief services to those residing in Boulder, Broomfield, Adams, Jefferson, and southwest Weld counties. TRU now offers TRU PACE, a Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly. TRU Hospice of Northern Colorado serves Greeley and extends to Weld and Larimer counties. Additional services include grief support groups, which are available to anyone in the community free of charge. It is a privilege for us to help those who are grieving regain their balance and resume healthy living. Grief groups include adult, teen, and child as well as equine therapy. At TRU Community Care, we add life to days, because that’s what TRUly matters. The sooner you call, the more we can help – 303.442.0961 or visit trucare.org.

Contact:
Annette Mainland, Vice President of Philanthropy
TRU Community Care
303.604.5261
annettemainland@trucare.org

New TRU PACE Program Now Enrolling

February 2, 2017 by TRU Community Care

For Immediate Release: February 2, 2017

Contact:
Leslie Mader, TRU PACE Outreach & Enrollment Manager
lesliemader@trucare.org

(Lafayette, CO) – TRU Community Care, a nonprofit organization providing hospice and supportive services to the Boulder and surrounding communities, announces enrollment is now open for its new TRU PACE program. PACE stands for Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly. Designed for seniors who would otherwise need nursing-home-level care, the TRU PACE model helps seniors live in their communities for as long as possible.

TRU PACE is a Medicare/Medicaid covered program serving seniors 55 years and older who reside in Boulder and southwest Weld counties. Services include coordinated healthcare services and support; a day program, social activities, and physical therapy; and transportation to and from the TRU PACE facility provided by Via.

TRU PACE will help participants and their families navigate the complicated issues associated with aging.

Referral sources and the community can call 303.665.0115 or email pace@trucare.org to speak with an enrollment specialist. Qualified participants will begin TRU PACE services with a target start date of March 1, 2017.

About TRU Community Care

TRU Community Care provides end-of-life hospice and palliative care as well as grief services to those residing in Boulder, Broomfield, Adams, Jefferson, and southwest Weld counties. TRU now offers TRU PACE, a Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly, which serves frail seniors in Boulder and southwest Weld Counties. TRU Hospice of Northern Colorado serves Greeley and extends to Weld and Larimer counties. Additional services include grief support groups, which are available to anyone in the community free of charge. It is a privilege for us to help those who are grieving regain their balance and resume healthy living. Grief groups include adult, teen, and child as well as equine therapy. At TRU Community Care, we add life to days, because that’s what TRUly matters. The sooner you call, the more we can help – 303.442.0961 or visit trucare.org.

TRU PACE to Host Project Visibility Training

January 24, 2017 by TRU Community Care

What is Project Visibility?

An award-winning film that showcases the lives of area lesbian, gay and transgender elders, accompanied by a discussion of steps service providers can take to ensure culturally competent service to this often invisible population.

Why a training on LGBT elders?

Through a series of focus groups, LGBT elders in Boulder County expressed uncertainty about what to do should they need services. They were concerned about whether they could be “out” in local care facilities, and wondered if staff knew anything about an LGBT life experience. Project Visibility was born of those talks in 2004.

Participants will leave the training with:

A new understanding of the history, strengths and needs of LGBT elders
Tools for open, inclusive communication
Practical, problem-solving experience
An action plan of simple and necessary changes to indicate that a service or agency is safe and
welcoming
A comprehensive 50-page guidebook

Training Info

This is a FREE training for service providers. Seating is limited. Register early!

To register: Please visit Eventbrite.

When: Thursday, March 30 from 2:00 – 5:00 pm

Where: TRU PACE located at 2593 Park Lane in Lafayette, CO

Cost: Free of charge, though advance registration is required

Presented by: Ash Bell, Project Visibility Trainer, Boulder County Area Agency on Aging

Conducted by Boulder County Area Agency on Aging with support from Aging Services Foundation of Boulder County and sponsored by TRU PACE.

TRU Community Care Receives Worthy Cause Grant from Boulder County

December 22, 2016 by TRU Community Care

For Immediate Release: December 22, 2016

Contact:
Maria Thomas, Communications Coordinator
mariathomas@trucare.org

(Lafayette, CO) – TRU Community Care, a nonprofit organization providing hospice and supportive services to the Boulder community and beyond, has received a $300,000 Worthy Cause grant from Boulder County. TRU Community Care will allocate these funds (capital only) to its new TRU PACE facility located at 2593 Park Lane in Lafayette. TRU PACE stands for Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly.

Scheduled to open in early 2017, TRU PACE coordinates and provides all needed preventive, primary, acute, and long-term care services so that older individuals can continue living safely in their community. TRU PACE is an innovative model that enables individuals who are 55 years old or older and certified by the state to need nursing home care to live as independently as possible. TRU PACE will help participants and their family members navigate the complicated issues associated with aging.

In 2008, county voters approved “Worthy Cause III,” a 10-year extension of a .05 percent sales and use tax that helps with debt reduction (payments toward capital debts such as mortgages and loans for construction/renovation) and funding of capital facilities for nonprofit organizations. These funds help with the high price of obtaining and/or improving facilities that fit nonprofits’ specific needs as they serve the population. The tax expires in 2018.

About TRU Community Care

TRU Community Care provides end-of-life hospice and palliative care as well as grief services to those residing in Boulder, Broomfield, Adams, Jefferson, and southwest Weld counties. TRU Hospice of Northern Colorado serves Greeley and extends to Weld and Larimer counties. Additional services include grief support groups, which are available to anyone in the community free of charge. It is a privilege for us to help those who are grieving regain their balance and resume healthy living. Grief groups include adult, teen, and child as well as equine therapy. At TRU Community Care, we add life to days, because that’s what TRUly matters. The sooner you call, the more we can help – 303.442.0961 or visit trucare.org.

TRU Community Care Receives Grant Funding to Enhance Telehealth Services

September 22, 2016 by TRU Community Care

For immediate release:
Sept. 22, 2016

Contact:
Maria Thomas,
Communications Coordinator
mariathomas@trucare.org

LAFAYETTE, CO – TRU Community Care – founded in 1976 as the first hospice in Colorado – is pleased to announce it has been awarded $100,000 in grant funding by the Colorado Health Foundation to increase access to primary care services for elderly individuals through telehealth.

The grant will be used to extend the ability to monitor and assess patients between physician and home health visits for those with chronic diseases in TRU’s new PACE program (Program for All-Inclusive Care of the Elderly). Telehealth includes equipment, connectivity, clinician consultations via electronic communications, monitoring of vital signs, and other symptoms related to chronic disease.

As a result of the grant funding, there will be increased access to primary care services for patients with chronic conditions and reduced isolation for seniors in our community. The telehealth tools will allow clinicians and others to proactively, rather than reactively, manage patients with chronic conditions, with the goal of keeping patients healthier, living independently, and reducing unnecessary emergency department visits and hospitalizations.

TRU PACE is scheduled to open in early 2017, and is the first time this program will be offered in Boulder and southwest Weld Counties and beyond. Once PACE is open, the goal is to enroll at least 200 seniors in the first year who can benefit from TRU’s continuum of care model for years, as oppose to months. PACE participants will have access to a primary care physician, health condition specialists, nutrition, group activities, physical therapy and more – all in one convenient location. The goal of the program is to keep seniors in their home, increasing the quality of life for this ever-expanding population.

TRU Community Care serves Boulder, Louisville, Lafayette, Broomfield, Erie and beyond. TRU Hospice of Northern Colorado offers services in Greeley and extends to Weld and Larimer counties. Additional services include grief support, which is available to anyone in the community free of charge. It is a privilege for us to help those who are grieving regain their balance and resume healthy living. Grief groups include adult, teen and child as well as equine therapy. At TRU Community Care, we add life to days, because that’s what TRUly matters. The sooner you call, the sooner we can help – 303.442.0961 or visit trucare.org.

The Colorado Health Foundation works to make Colorado the healthiest state in the nation by ensuring that all Colorado kids are fit and healthy and that all Coloradans achieve stable, affordable and adequate health coverage to improve their health with support from a network of primary health care and community services. To advance our mission, the Foundation engages the community through grantmaking, public policy, investing in evaluation, private sector partnerships and strategic communications. For more information, please visit www.ColoradoHealth.org.