"the People's Paths!" Cherokee News Path

"Cherokee Elder Care Program Director Ben Stevens is all smiles with the opening of Cherokee Elder Care in Tahlequah. The facility will offer comprehensive care
for the elderly."

TAHLEQUAH, OK - The Cherokee Nation celebrated the grand opening of Cherokee Elder Care in Tahlequah, a program that will provide comprehensive care and meet the medical and social needs of the elderly.

“There are few things that I can share with you that bring more pride than projects like Cherokee Elder Care,” said Chad Smith, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. “This will be a place for care and a place to laugh for the elders that come here.”

Cherokee Elder Care is part of the federal Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), and is the first in Oklahoma and the first sponsored by a Native American tribe nationwide. These programs provide and coordinate all types of care the elder needs, providing an alternative to them being placed in a nursing home.

The mission of the organization is to enhance the quality of life and autonomy of the participants, while enabling them to live in their own home and live in the community for as long as medically and socially possible. The new facility will meet a variety of medical and social needs, such as physician care, rehabilitation, prescription medication, meals and nutritional counseling, respite services, caregiver training, home health, social interaction and transportation, in one place. Using a team of physicians, registered nurses, nurse practitioners, therapists, social service workers, dieticians, and transportation specialists, the multiple needs of the elder can be addressed by providing comprehensive care.

To qualify for the program, participants must be age 55, be certified by the state as needing nursing home level of care, live in the program’s service area, and be able to be safely cared for in the community. Participation is open to all persons who qualify for the program, and all services are provided through Medicare and Medicaid. Inpatient services, temporary nursing home and hospital care, and dental services are provided through partnerships with contracted providers. A participant does not have to be a citizen of the Cherokee Nation or Native American in order to qualify for care.

“This is a Cherokee program that is open to all,” said Ben Stevens, Program Director for Cherokee Elder Care. “We will be bringing our elders here where they want to be.”