StayWell turns 10

Janet Imrick
Randolph Hub 

ASHEBORO — Since 2014, senior citizens across three counties have come to Randolph Health StayWell Care for health care, therapy and recreation, all centered around maintaining their independence and peace of mind.

The center marked its 10th anniversary this year. On Dec. 17, employees celebrated the difference they’ve made for senior citizens in Randolph, Montgomery and Moore counties.

"We've had several caregivers and participants say the difference that StayWell has made in their life," Executive Director Karen Martin said. "Increasing their functional level, making them more independent, allowing the caregivers to have less burnout."

StayWell is a Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). It supports adults who are 55 years and older, so that they can keep living at home, even with chronic conditions that might otherwise force them to move into assisted living.

StayWell can handle all services in-house, including becoming the insurance provider, and arranging for at-home care, medication and medical equipment, hospital and outpatient care, and transportation to appointments. 

However, Martin said the biggest demand is for the day center services on Curry Drive.

A recreational therapist arranges trips to places like Millstone Creek Orchards or brings local partners to hold activities at the center. It's a fun way to pass the time, according to Marketing and Outreach Coordinator Cody Edwards. "They all have groups that they like to sit in, and they have their little cliques," he said. "It's really just a good time for them to be here, versus being in their home alone during the day."

According to Martin, the 2024 participant satisfaction survey showed a 97 percent satisfaction rate. The national average for PACE centers is 93 percent. They also surveyed caregivers, who gave them a 100 percent satisfaction rate.

"It's amazing to see from a caregiver perspective," Martin said, “how stressful it can be to have to take off work every day because they're having to take care of a loved one. Then, to see them walk in here on the first day, you see the relief of, ‘I'm leaving them in a safe place.’"

The survey found that 54 percent of caregivers felt extremely stressed and burdened before bringing their loved ones to StayWell. After that, it dropped to 15 percent.

Furthermore, StayWell made a 0.4 on its last audit by the NC Division of Health Benefits. A perfect score would be a zero. According to Martin, they scored second best out of 120 PACE programs nationwide.

Participants don’t need a doctor's referral to join, with the information available on the Randolph health website. "Anybody can call us," Martin said. "They can call for their neighbor. They can call for a family member. They can call for someone in their church. It doesn't have to go through a provider like other entities."

Most of its participants live in Randolph County, but Edwards has been working to build its clientele in Moore and Montgomery. "I drove over 1,500 miles a month," he said. "I'm really focusing on our senior affordable housing. With the Medicaid limit, if they make under a certain amount, they don't have to pay anything for our program."

Martin said StayWell's goal is to grow into other counties without PACE programs. "We do have expansion plans for the future to expand into Richmond, Anson and Scotland counties," she said.

"We are the best kept secret in Randolph County," Edwards said. "That's why for us, the 10-year anniversary is huge. I'm glad to see, even in the three years that I've been here, to see our name continually grow, and for people to realize what we do."