This is a different kind of post. Not a listing. Not market commentary. A real resource that may help a family in your circle who's navigating something hard right now. If that's you, keep reading. If it's someone you know, send them this. The whole point of the Friday series is to make sure people in Palm Beach County know what's available before they need it.
I was scrolling through the Palm Beach County Moms Facebook group this week when I came across a post that stopped me cold.
An anonymous woman wrote that her grandfather — multiple surgeries, can barely walk, fixed income — was about to be homeless. He'd lost his apartment. She'd lost her job. He had two weeks until an assisted living bed opened up, and nowhere to go in between.
She was asking if anyone knew of a nonprofit or organization that could help. Fast.
I tagged Paola Pouponneau — someone I know who works in Palm Beach County's senior care system — and asked if there was a program that could help.
Her response was immediate:
PACE.
What Is PACE?
PACE stands for Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly.
It's a Medicare and Medicaid program designed for seniors who medically qualify for nursing home-level care — but who want to remain in their homes and communities instead of being institutionalized.
Here's what PACE coordinates under one program in Palm Beach County:
- Primary care physicians and specialists
- Skilled home care and personal care aides
- Lab and diagnostic services
- Prescriptions and medical equipment
- Medication management
- Physical, occupational, and speech therapy
- Transportation to and from the PACE center for care
- Adult daycare and day programming
- Social work and care coordination
- Hospitalization and skilled nursing when needed
- End-of-life care
No nursing home required. The model is built around helping seniors remain where they want to live — at home — while wrapping coordinated medical and social support around them.
Why This Is Harder to Find Than It Should Be
PACE programs are still relatively limited across Florida. The state has roughly a dozen PACE providers covering parts of the state, not statewide coverage.
Palm Beach County is fortunate. MorseLife Health System operates as the exclusive PACE provider in Palm Beach County, with three locations:
West Palm Beach
The primary site, on the MorseLife Campus — serves central Palm Beach County
Delray Beach
PACE Delray — serves South Palm Beach County
Greenacres
The newest location — serves central and western communities including Wellington, Royal Palm Beach, and surrounding areas
But limited access also means most families dealing with an aging parent have never heard of it.
Their doctors may not mention it. Their financial advisors may not flag it. And by the time a crisis hits — the fall, the hospitalization, the eviction — they're making decisions under pressure without the full picture.
Who Qualifies?
PACE eligibility is determined through an assessment process by the Florida Department of Elder Affairs CARES office, but the general criteria are:
- Age 55 or older
- A health condition that qualifies for nursing home-level care (this is the medical assessment, not a financial test)
- The ability to live safely at home with PACE support
- Residence in Palm Beach County within the service area of a PACE Center
- Eligibility for Medicare, Medicaid, or both (cost varies based on which apply — see below)
For seniors who don't fully qualify financially, families should still ask what local assistance or grant-based options may exist. Sometimes the first phone call opens doors families did not know were available.
What PACE Costs
Cost depends on which programs the senior qualifies for:
- Eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid: No cost
- Eligible for Medicaid only: No cost
- Eligible for Medicare only: A monthly premium applies (varies; the PACE intake team explains the specific amount for each situation)
- Not eligible for either: Private pay rates apply (uncommon, but the program can still be entered)
For most families researching PACE for an aging parent, the senior already qualifies for at least Medicare. The Medicaid determination is what makes the difference between "no cost" and "monthly premium." The PACE intake staff can walk you through this on the first phone call.
Why I'm Writing About This
What caught my attention wasn't just the healthcare side of the story.
It was how quickly housing became part of the problem.
The family wasn't just trying to find care. They were trying to solve a temporary housing crisis, protect a fixed income, and buy enough time to make good decisions.
That is where senior transitions become overwhelming. One decision affects five others.
After decades in Palm Beach County real estate, I've sat across from hundreds of families navigating some version of this situation — an aging parent who needs more support, a home that may need to be sold, and decisions being made under emotional and financial pressure.
The families who navigate it best are the ones who knew their options before they needed them.
PACE is one of those options.
It can change the entire calculation — keeping a senior in their home longer, buying time for families to make thoughtful decisions instead of reactive ones, and helping everyone understand what comes next.
The Friday Series
That's what I'll keep writing about on Fridays. Not listings. The real conversations that happen when housing and life intersect — senior transitions, family-decision moments, the resources most people don't hear about until they're in the middle of a crisis. The point is to help families know their options before they need them.
This Post Is Information, Not Endorsement
This post describes the PACE program and the local provider in Palm Beach County as a general resource. It is not a recommendation, endorsement, or medical/legal/financial advice. Whether PACE is the right fit for any specific senior depends on their medical situation, financial situation, family circumstances, and other factors that should be evaluated by qualified professionals (the senior's physician, an elder-law attorney, a Medicare/Medicaid specialist, and the PACE intake team). Brian Wilder and The Wilder Real Estate Group have no financial relationship with MorseLife or PACE and receive no compensation for referrals.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is PACE different from a nursing home?+
A nursing home is residential care — the senior moves in. PACE is community-based care — the senior stays in their own home and the program provides coordinated medical, social, and daily-living support. Seniors typically visit the PACE center several days a week for care, therapy, and social programming, with transportation provided. When higher-level care is needed (hospitalization, skilled nursing stay), PACE coordinates and pays for it. The model is designed to delay or prevent the need for nursing home placement entirely.
Can someone be on PACE if they don't live alone?+
Yes. Many PACE participants live with adult children, spouses, or other family members. The eligibility test is whether the senior can live safely in the community with PACE support — not whether they live alone. PACE often makes it possible for working family members to keep an aging parent at home rather than placing them in residential care, because PACE handles daytime care needs and medical coordination.
What happens when the senior's condition gets worse?+
PACE coordinates the full continuum of care. If hospitalization is needed, PACE coordinates and pays. If a short-term skilled nursing stay is needed, PACE coordinates and pays. If long-term nursing home placement eventually becomes necessary, PACE coordinates that transition. The senior doesn't leave the PACE program when their condition changes — the program adapts to their needs.
Does PACE help with housing?+
PACE doesn't directly provide housing. It's a medical-and-coordination program for seniors who already have housing (their own home, a family member's home, or other community living). For seniors facing a housing crisis like the one that prompted this post, PACE intake staff may know of local partner organizations or emergency resources. They're not the housing solution, but they often know who is. The first phone call is still the right starting point.
What if my parent already has Medicare Advantage or another plan?+
PACE typically replaces other Medicare and Medicaid coverage — participants get all their care through PACE rather than separate plans. The PACE intake team explains how the transition works and what happens to existing coverage. This is one of the reasons the first phone call matters: a 15-minute conversation tells you whether the trade-off makes sense for your specific situation.
How long does enrollment take?+
Enrollment involves a CARES assessment by the Florida Department of Elder Affairs (determining medical eligibility), an evaluation by the PACE team, and the administrative enrollment process. Total time varies by case but typically several weeks. For families in an immediate crisis, PACE may not be the same-day solution — but starting the process early means the option is available when it's needed.
What if my family is dealing with a senior who lives outside Palm Beach County?+
PACE programs exist in select areas of Florida and across the country, but coverage is geographic. The senior must live in the PACE Center's service area. For seniors outside Palm Beach County, the National PACE Association (npaonline.org) maintains a directory of PACE programs by location. The MorseLife intake team may also be able to point families in the right direction for nearby counties.
How does this connect to selling a parent's home?+
PACE can buy a family time. Instead of rushing to sell a parent's home to fund residential care, PACE may let the senior stay in their own home (or a family member's home) for additional years. That changes when, how, and at what price the home eventually sells. For families navigating this combination — aging parent, home that may eventually need to be sold, complex financial decisions — the right sequence often is: (1) explore PACE eligibility first, (2) understand the family's real timeline, (3) then make decisions about the home with clarity rather than under crisis pressure.
If You're Navigating This
If you're navigating a transition with an aging parent and need a starting point — whether that's a referral, a resource, or just someone who's seen this situation before — I'm happy to help.
No agenda. No pressure. Just a starting point.
Call Brian direct: 561-201-4717 · Bilingual Spanish: Lucy Lopez 561-285-8809
For PACE specifically: 561-868-2999 (MorseLife Palm Beach PACE intake)
Brian Wilder
The Wilder Real Estate Group at Keller Williams Wellington
In business since 1996 · 1,500+ homes sold across Palm Beach County
561-201-4717
Bilingual Spanish/English: Lucy Lopez · 561-285-8809
This post describes the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) and its Palm Beach County provider, MorseLife Health System, based on publicly verifiable information from MorseLife, the National PACE Association, the Florida Department of Elder Affairs, and partner healthcare directories. MorseLife is the exclusive PACE provider in Palm Beach County and operates locations in West Palm Beach, Delray Beach, and Greenacres. Eligibility for PACE requires medical assessment by the Florida Department of Elder Affairs CARES office, residence in a PACE Center service area, and Medicare and/or Medicaid eligibility for cost coverage. Information may change — verify current eligibility criteria, costs, services, and enrollment process directly with the Palm Beach PACE intake team at (561) 868-2999 or with the National PACE Association (npaonline.org). This post is general information only and does not constitute medical, legal, financial, or insurance advice. Decisions about senior care should involve the senior's physician, qualified elder-law and financial professionals, and family. Brian Wilder and The Wilder Real Estate Group have no financial or referral relationship with MorseLife or PACE. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Equal Housing Opportunity.
