PACE in Worcester County: how Summit ElderCare works, and who it suits

What PACE is

PACE stands for Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly. Instead of a patchwork of doctors, agencies and benefits, a PACE participant has one team, physicians, nurses, therapists, social workers, aides and drivers, who plan and deliver nearly all of their care, much of it at a day center the participant attends on a regular schedule.

To join, a person must be 55 or older, live in the program's service area, need a nursing-home level of care as assessed by the state, and be able to live safely in the community with PACE's support.

Worcester County's PACE centers

Source: Fallon Health's locations page. Call Fallon Health 1-800-868-5200 (TRS 711) for enrollment.

PACE and assisted living together

PACE pays for care, not rent, and a PACE participant can live at home or in an assisted living residence. In Massachusetts that combination is common: AGE's 2025 census found 7% of assisted living residents statewide enrolled in PACE, and 11 residences had at least half their traditional residents covered by it.

For a resident with modest means and several chronic conditions, the combination can delay or prevent a nursing home move. Ask a residence how it coordinates with the PACE team day to day.

Weighing PACE against the alternatives

The trade-off is control versus coordination. PACE suits people who want one team to manage everything and are willing to change doctors.

A day in PACE

A typical participant is picked up by the program's van in the morning, has breakfast at the center, sees the nurse or doctor if needed, takes part in exercise or activities, has lunch, perhaps a bath or therapy session, and is driven home in the afternoon. Days at the center vary from one to five a week depending on the care plan. On other days, the team may send aides to the home.

Because the doctors, nurses and therapists see participants often, small changes in health are noticed early. That is a large part of how PACE aims to keep people out of the hospital and the nursing home.

Is PACE right for your parent?

PACE tends to work best for someone with several chronic conditions, frequent doctor visits and a family stretched thin by coordinating them. It works less well for someone deeply attached to their own physicians, or who will not attend a day center. The assessment and an information session at the center are the best way to find out.

Distance matters too. The Worcester, Leominster and Webster centers serve defined areas, so confirm that your parent's address is covered before planning around PACE.

How to start

Call Fallon Health, ask for Summit ElderCare enrollment, and request a visit to the nearest center. Bring a list of current medications and doctors, and ask how the transition from current providers works.

PACE and nursing homes

PACE aims to keep participants in the community, but if a participant eventually needs nursing home care, PACE arranges it and continues to coordinate their medical care, and the participant remains enrolled. For families, that continuity can be valuable: the same team that has known a parent for years stays involved, rather than handing everything to a new set of providers at the hardest moment.

Ask the center how often that happens, which nursing homes it works with, and how families are involved in the decision.