(December 13, 2023) – EveryAge and Carolina SeniorCare hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for their New Bern location on Tuesday, December 12, 2023, at 3 pm. The event took place at the cleared and graded site where work is already commencing (3681 Neuse Blvd, New Bern 28560). The public was invited, along with representatives from local government, business, and health care agencies.
Carolina SeniorCare is a Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly, or PACE organization. This provider-based health plan supports participants in getting access to services they need without moving from their home. PACE programs provide comprehensive medical, preventative, and social services. PACE is supported by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS).
Carolina SeniorCare-East will serve seniors 55 and older who live in a service area defined by designated zip codes. Older adults residing anywhere in Craven, Pamlico, and Jones counties are eligible, along with those living in certain portions of Carte ret, Beaufort, Lenoir, and Onslow counties.
Among the services Carolina SeniorCare-East will be offering are:
- Physician care and nursing services
- Vision and dental care
- Physical, occupational, and speech rehabilitation therapy
- Prescription drugs and durable medical equipment
- Preventative services and education
- Laboratory services and diagnostic testing
- Recreational activities
- Nutritional counseling and meals
- Transportation
- Home health care and personal care
Carolina SeniorCare-East will join Carolina SeniorCare in Lexington, NC, and Elderhaus PACE in Wilmington, NC, as EveryAge’s third PACE organization. Based in Newton, NC, EveryAge is the parent organization of a variety of not-for-profit senior living programs, including continuing care retirement communities, PACE organizations, adult day programs, and affordable housing communities. As an industry leader in senior living, EveryAge operates 16 programs serving more than 2,000 older adults in North Carolina and Virginia.
One of these, New Bern Older Adult Housing (or NOAH), is an affordable housing community that EveryAge has operated locally since 2001. Through the expansion of Carolina SeniorCare, EveryAge will be able to provide additional services to older adults in Craven and surrounding counties.
Noting the construction work at Carolina SeniorCare-East, Thomas Chang, EveryAge’s senior director of home and community-based services, shares, “For many years, we’ve been attentive to the great need for PACE services in eastern North Carolina, so it’s exciting to have our New Bern center finally be in progress. Not only will it introduce a new model of care to the area, but it will also transform the lives of participants and their families, offering them new opportunities to grow and thrive in the community.”
Aimee Reimann, chief operating officer of EveryAge, agrees, stating, “Since we opened our first PACE program more than 10 years ago, we’ve seen the immense value that it brings to older adults. Consolidating care for participants helps ensure that their needs are well coordinated and that we can simplify the myriad appointments and programs they’re attempting to manage. From medical needs to socialization, participants are provided a wealth of services to help them flourish and enjoy greater peace of mind.”
*Pictured with hardhats and shovels are (l-r) David Bone, executive director, Eastern Carolina Council; Kevin Roberts, New Bern Chamber president; Robert Asher, New Bern alderman; Jeffrey Odham, New Bern mayor; Victor Taylor, EveryAge Affordable Housing Board; Parker Howell, EveryAge Board chair; Lee Syria, EveryAge president and CEO; Rev. Brad Thie, EveryAge Board vice-chair; Roger Young, DELCO; and Thomas Chang, EveryAge senior director of home and community-based services.