[1] PACE was developed by On Lok Senior Health Services, a not-for-profit community-based organization launched in the early 1970s in the Chinatown-North Beach area of San Francisco, California.
[2] 1971–1978 On Lok Senior Health Services was created in 1971 to address the long-term care needs of older immigrants in San Francisco's Chinatown-North Beach neighborhood.
[3] After its founding, between 1973 and 1975, On Lok expanded to include day centers, in-home care, home-delivered meals, and housing assistance.
[3] Later, in 1978, these health services were broadened to include comprehensive medical care for older adults certified to be nursing home-eligible.
[6] PACE delivers patient-centered, comprehensive care to frail and elderly adults through a collaborative team of providers, including but not limited to physicians, nurses, registered dietitian, physical therapists, and social workers.
[8] By providing all-inclusive care for the participants, PACE maintains the health of members and prevent exacerbation of current medical conditions.
[1] Several studies point to the numerous benefits that PACE programs have had on their patient populations, including allowing them to live safely within their communities.
These include greater adult day health care use along with decreased numbers of hospitalizations and nursing home admissions.
[6] Similarly, it has been noted that patients remain in contact with primary care longer; have greater survival rates, better health, better functional status, and better quality of life as reflected by increased social interaction; and experience less depression and fewer concerns after enrollment.
[9] In addition, there is a prevalent concern amongst enrollees centered on losing their primary care physician with whom they have established a relationship and trust with.