At 71 years old, Jamie is a vivacious and healthy mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She is a breast cancer survivor, manages her diabetes, and has an active social life. But this was not always her story.
In 2011, after she had retired, Jamie couldn’t get her diabetes under control and she didn’t have a support system to help her during the day. Then, in 2012, she became a Mercy LIFE of Alabama participant, and it was a life-changer: “I don’t know what I would have done without this place,” she said.
Mercy LIFE is a Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). PACE facilities combine funding from Medicaid and Medicare insurance programs to offer home- and community-based services to elderly people to help them stay at home instead of going to a nursing home.
When Jamie began coming to Mercy LIFE, she was set up with a doctor who helped her get her diabetes under control, she was able to take art and Bible study classes, and she felt at home. She made friends and found a support system, and she felt like her health was “One hundred percent better.” When Jamie was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014, Mercy LIFE supported her through every step of her treatment.
Jamie knows that Mercy LIFE wouldn’t be there if it weren’t for Medicaid, and she is thankful that she lives near the only PACE facility in Alabama. “I’ve been blessed with this place,” she told us. “When you get older, sometimes you feel like you just keep shrinking. Here, you can grow instead of shrink.” With the support of Medicaid, Mercy LIFE gave her a place to get the care she needs to live, and the care she needs to thrive and live a full and healthy life.
Special thanks to Mercy LIFE for their partnership.