BLUESTEM PACE MARKS 10 YEARS OF SERVICE
Bluestem PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) is marking a decade of service of helping older adults remain independent in their own homes while receiving comprehensive, coordinated care. The milestone anniversary highlights the program’s continued commitment to supporting seniors and their caregivers with a model designed to keep participants living in their own homes for as long as possible.
“Marking 10 years of Bluestem PACE helping seniors live well at home serves as a testament to the need that exists to support seniors in this way,” said Bluestem PACE Executive Director Emilie Rains. “Partnership and teamwork with participants and their caregivers have truly been impactful in helping participants continue to safely live well at home for the last decade.”
Bluestem Communities formed in 2012 through the affiliation of the life plan communities Kidron Bethel Village and Schowalter Villa. Shortly after, leadership recognized the growing need for senior care and services, particularly in the largely rural areas they serve in south central Kansas. They began exploring PACE, a national care model that has existed since the early 1970s that offers participants an alternative to residential care homes by enabling them to stay in their homes and communities while providing a full spectrum of medical and supportive services all from one source. Bluestem welcomed its first participants to the PACE center in McPherson in August 2016.
The program operates from its primary location in McPherson, and an alternative care site in Hutchinson, Kansas, that was established in 2021. Both locations provide on-campus access to primary care physicians, therapy services, social services and personal care, as well as a day center. The day center is a place for participants to spend time between on-campus care appointments or while their at-home caregivers tend to other responsibilities during the day. Transportation is a unique feature at Bluestem PACE. Drivers pick up participants at their homes and take them to and from the day center and to specialty appointments as needed.
Over the last 10 years, Bluestem PACE has become an important player in senior health care services. With a six-county service area of Harvey, Marion, McPherson, Reno, Rice and Saline counties, today Bluestem PACE serves more than 120 participants.
As Bluestem PACE celebrates it its anniversary, the program continues to build on its mission of compassionate, community-based care. By expanding access, strengthening partnerships and adapting to the evolving needs of older adults, Bluestem PACE remains dedicated to helping seniors live with dignity and independence in the place they call home. This milestone reflects a decade of impact, but also a commitment to serving the region for years to come.