Horizon PACE, Beshear celebrate care center opening in Bowling Green

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – On Tuesday, Gov. Andy Beshear joined Horizon PACE, which celebrated its grand opening in Bowling Green.

Bowling Green’s facility will serve people 55 and older with a nursing-home level of care, particularly if they are facing medical conditions requiring services, with a goal to allow people to stay in their home longer.

The facility is a mix of in-home care and an adult daycare with professionals that can meet a person’s needs.

“It is really breaking ground in Kentucky because, you know, it has never been seen before,” said Kelly Upchurch, Horizon PACE president. “It’s a game changer for frail elderly folks. It’s a collection of services and service delivery that has never been seen in Kentucky before. So that’s what I mean by being, you know, the first.”

Upchurch said the facility will have a treatment team and IDT team that takes care of people and includes a physician and speed language pathologist, a dietician, transportation, medical care, recreation and social work.

Upchurch said it’s something they’ve been trying to do for 20 years.

“I think the outcomes are clear and our goal is clear,” Upchurch said. “We’re trying to help people live in their community and stay in their community as long as possible. And as we work towards that goal, we use those team members to deliver that service. But the outcome, the final outcome is to allow people to stay in their home longer, to be happier, to be healthier, to live in their community for as long as they possibly can without the need to access long term care.”

Upchurch said if they can even postpone the decision for long term care, help families and caregivers, then “our job is done.”