Celebrating Expansion and Growth at LifeCircles PACE
On October 10, LifeCircles PACE, or Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly, hosted an Open House ribbon cutting event to celebrate its recent $1 million expansion of its Day Center at 12330 James Street in Holland, Michigan.
LifeCircles PACE, with locations in Holland and Muskegon, is a godsend for approximately 400 low-income, nursing home-eligible older adults living in Muskegon County and portions of Ottawa and Allegan counties. A community partnership of Brio Living Services, Trinity Health, and Senior Resources, LifeCircles PACE was just the third PACE center to open in Michigan and has served nearly 2,000 individuals and families since it launched in 2008.
“This 6,620-square-foot addition to our Holland Day Center represents our ongoing commitment to enhancing the quality of life of older adults in our community,” says LifeCircles PACE Executive Director, Heidi Gras. “Our new state-of-the-art facilities include a spacious physical therapy gym, versatile recreational therapy areas, and person-centered care spaces for individualized treatment.”
More than 150 health professionals, community members, and dignitaries were on hand to join the festivities, according to Sarah Milanowski, Enrollment and Marketing Manager at LifeCircles PACE. “Our team was proud to host Carly Swanson from Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s Office and Michigan State Representative Bradley Slagh during the event, as well as Stephanie Winslow, Executive Director of the PACE Association of Michigan, and members of the Michigan West Coast Chamber of Commerce,” said Sarah. “Their support ensures that PACE remains an integral part of Michigan’s healthcare options for older adults, and helps us grow to serve more older residents in our area and provide holistic care and support for those who need it most.”
This new addition to the LifeCircles PACE Day Center in Holland will allow the organization to serve up to 28% more older adults in the community. The new wellness gym offers physical and recreational therapy spaces with a focus on reducing fall risks and unnecessary hospitalizations. “Our PACE participants receive 71% more physical, occupational, and speech therapy than similarly complex Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries receive in a given year and 23% more primary care visits,” Sarah explains. “LifeCircles PACE participants also have fewer visits to the emergency room as a result of PACE’s interdisciplinary team of clinicians and home care visits. Less than one third of LifeCircles PACE members used the emergency room at all in 2023.”
A community partnership of Brio Living Services, Trinity Health, and Senior Resources, LifeCircles PACE serves the psycho-social, medical, and supportive needs of low-income, nursing home-eligible adults, aged 55 and up, who are able to live independently and safely in their own homes and communities with the help of PACE services. PACE’s interdisciplinary team of professionals provides participants with a “one-stop” shop model for all their healthcare needs, including comprehensive medical, occupational and physical therapy, pharmacy needs, nutrition and meals, health education, social and recreational activities, behavioral health, home care, and door-to-door transportation. Most participants are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid and pay no fees for PACE services.
Learn more about Brio Living Services and its PACE programs.