Elderly residents in Michigan’s Great Southwest will have a new friend keeping tabs on their health and well being thanks to a new Medical Director for the team at PACE of Southwest Michigan. PACE is the acronym for Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, and their new Medical Director starting Monday will be Dr. Erika Nearpass, D.O.
Therese Saggau is Executive Director of PACE of SW Michigan. She says, “We are proud to welcome Dr. Nearpass to our organization and we look forward to her leadership in helping seniors in Berrien, Cass and Van Buren Counties maintain their independence.” She adds, “Dr. Nearpass’ strong passion for caring for the geriatric population is certain to make positive contributions to the care of our participants.”
Founded in 2012 by community partners who identified a need for home-based, long term care services in southwestern Michigan, PACESWMI serves adults over 55 who have long term medical conditions. PACE coordinates and provides all needed preventive, primary, acute and long-term care services so older adults can continue living at home in the community they love. The PACE program is part of a nationwide model of care that began in 1971.
Director Saggau says, “Our participants and their families are consistently happy with the care and services they receive.” In fact, she says, “With our care, participants experience less deterioration in physical functioning, better health status and quality of life, and lower rates of ER visits and hospitalizations.”
The new Medical Director, Dr. Nearpass, says, “I will be a part of every aspect of the care our participants receive. I am impressed with the multidisciplinary model of PACE and how it helps to prevent areas of missed opportunities to improve the patient’s overall health and quality of life.”
Dr. Nearpass received her Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry from Andrews University in Berrien Springs. She then received her Doctorate in Osteopathic Medicine from the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine in Lewisburg, West Virginia and went on to complete her Internal Medicine Residency at Lakeland Regional Hospital in St. Joseph.
Her tour of duty begins on Monday, July 24th in south St. Joseph.
