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ElderPlus provides free, all-inclusive help

As Baltimore resident Tiffani Williams’ grandmother grew older, she had to help her pay bills, drive her to doctors’ appointments and much more. Then Williams heard about Hopkins ElderPlus, established almost 25 years ago. Providing all the services older adults need to stay healthy, ElderPlus is Maryland’s branch of the federal Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). Soon Williams’ life and that of her grandmother rapidly improved.

“I saw how the depression started to lift from her. She was so full of life. To see that part of her start to glow and shine again — it lifted my spirits as well as hers,” Williams said.

“It was truly a blessing to step out of that authoritarian [caregiver] role. I was able to go back to being a granddaughter. All those little nuances that we would bump heads on were taken away.”

Hopkins ElderPlus is a constellation of free support services, including adult day care and transportation. Participants can get free rides to medical appointments and to the ElderPlus center, located at Johns Hopkins’ Bayview Medical Center.

Once they arrive at the center, they can eat free, healthy meals and see a primary care physician, occupational therapist or physical therapist. Social workers are available to help them pay bills or just talk. They can laugh with friends. They can receive free over-the-counter medications or prescriptions delivered to their door. And a homecare service is available, too.

“This can solve so many problems,” said Williams, now outreach manager for Hopkins ElderPlus. “This program alleviates a lot of things that are putting our seniors in the hospital prematurely.”

PACE is a nationwide federally funded program that operates in 30 states. The 272 PACE centers serve about 55,000 people, whose average age is 77 years old.

To be eligible, people must have an income of no more than $2,382 a month. In addition, their assets must amount to no more than $2,000, not including a house and car. Participants must live within the following ZIP codes: 21202, 21214, 21220, 21227, 21205, 21217, 21221, 21231, 21206, 21218, 21222, 21237, 21213, 21219, 21224 and 21052.

There is no waitlist for the program. To find out more about Hopkins ElderPlus, call (410) 550-7044.

Zen Apartments to open

Imagine living on the same hallowed ground where the Orioles and Colts once played. This summer a new upscale apartment building will open on the former site of Memorial Stadium.

Zen Apartments at the Village Center at Stadium Place offers one- and two-bedroom luxury apartments for people over age 55. The property has a rooftop garden, fitness center, private event space and lounge, among other amenities. On the ground floor is a Medstar rehab facility, nail salon and Dunkin Donuts.

“Zen was created to provide contemporarily designed apartment homes, beautifully appointed communal spaces, and the convenience of retail shops and services on the property,” said owner Kevin Johnson, CEO of Commercial Development, who created the vision for Zen. “I am proud to build Zen Apartments in my hometown and on the former site of historic Memorial Stadium.”

The property is managed by Habitat America. For more information, visit zenapartments.com or call (855) 852-8009.