COLUMBIA, S.C. — A program at Prisma Health is helping keep seniors at home and out of nursing homes.
Thanks to our healthcare heroes, nurses, the PACE program at Prisma Health exists. PACE stands for Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly.
It's offered to those 55 and older, Medicare or Medicaid-eligible, as well as those who can live in the community with others.
PACE participant Mary Thomas calls it a daycare for seniors.
"I had a lot of trouble when I was in the hospital with sicknesses, so when I went home, nurses came to the house, and that's how I found out about the program," Thomas said.
Transportation to and from the center is also available.
Thomas has been part of PACE for about five years and loves it. She gets to do all sorts of fun things throughout the day when she's not getting a checkup or prescriptions filled.
"I love singing, spelling and writing poetry," Thomas said.
Program participants also get to play bingo for prizes donated by the community.
Thomas tells News 19 none of this would be possible without her hard-working nursing team. One of those nurses is Amber Williams.
"It's nice to know that we're appreciated for all of our hard work and all the things that we think that people don't recognize sometimes because we get so busy," Williams said.
"She's a very good nurse and I like the way she takes care of you, and I like the way she talks to you and how she makes you understand what you're going through as far as your sickness," Thomas said.
You can learn more about the PACE program if you click here.