New facility blends comprehensive healthcare with experiential design—redefining the future of elder care through the PACE model.
NEW YORK, NY, September 30, 2025 — ArchCare, the healthcare system of the Archdiocese of New York, will open a new Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) center in East Harlem this fall, unveiling one of the nation’s most innovative models of care that combines clinical services with an immersive, lifestyle-centered environment.
With the official ribbon cutting on October 8, 2025, the ArchCare Senior Life PACE Harlem Center will serve older adults through the nationally recognized PACE program. What distinguishes this center is its unique “neighborhood” interior design, complete with storefront-style amenities created to promote autonomy, sensory engagement, and community connection.
As part of the event, The Most Reverend John Bonnici, Auxiliary Bishop of New York, will bless the new space, offering a reflection on community, compassion, and the dignity of aging.
While elements of experiential, nostalgia-based environments exist in some adult day and memory care programs across the country, the East Harlem center is among the pioneering PACE facilities to integrate these features under one roof.
“The new ArchCare Senior Life PACE center will expand the PACE model of care to more people who will benefit from access to PACE. We are excited that ArchCare has designed and built an innovative environment to support their enrollees” says Shawn Bloom, President and CEO of the National PACE Association. “The program will undoubtedly be an important resource for the community, and we are proud of the work the ArchCare team is doing to foster emotional, social, and physical well-being for the members of its community.”
Reimagining Aging Through Environment and Choice
Inside the center, participants will find a range of familiar and engaging spaces designed to spark connection and comfort:
- A movie theater
- A full-service beauty salon
- An arts and crafts workshop
- A café and social lounge
- A library for quite reflection
- Communal spaces for music, conversation, and recreation
This approach reflects research in elder care showing that sensory-rich environments with spaces designed for leisure, creativity, and social interaction can improve quality of life, reduce isolation, and enhance well-being among older adults. A 2021 scoping review published in BMJ Open found that sensory interventions in long-term care settings were consistently associated with improvements in residents’ quality of life, mood, and social engagement.
“We set out to design a space that honors the whole person, not just their medical needs, but their social, emotional, spiritual, and cultural lives,” said Scott LaRue, President and Chief Executive Officer of ArchCare. “It’s about dignity through design, and care delivered in a space that feels joyful, familiar, and full of possibility.”
About the PACE Model
PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) is a federally regulated program that provides comprehensive medical and social services to adults aged 55+ who wish to remain living at home. Services include primary care, therapies, meals, transportation, home care, and recreational support, all delivered by an interdisciplinary team.
According to the National PACE Association, there are currently 188 PACE programs operating in 33 states and the District of Columbia. The Harlem center represents a bold new direction for the model, highlighting how environment and design can deepen the impact of comprehensive care.
“This project brings together innovation and community,” said Derek Dunbar the Senior Vice President of Managed Care. “East Harlem deserves a center that reflects its vibrancy and its deep-rooted culture of care.”
The East Harlem facility builds on ArchCare’s long-standing commitment to serving New Yorkers with complex health and social needs, particularly in historically underserved neighborhoods.
The event will include blessing of the space by The Most Reverend Bishop John Bonnici, remarks from ArchCare leadership, a ribbon cutting ceremony, and guided tours of the new space. Members of the media and community are invited to attend.
For all media inquiries and to schedule interviews, contact Kelly Wessel at kwessel@archcare.org or 917-453-7916.
About ArchCare
ArchCare is the Continuing Care Community of the Archdiocese of New York, and one of the nation’s largest and most dynamic Catholic healthcare systems. ArchCare provides quality care to thousands of people of all faiths through its home and community-based and residential care programs, including their Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) nursing home alternative, short-term rehabilitation, long-term skilled nursing care, home care, assisted living, hospice, and acute care specialty hospitals for people with Huntington’s disease, HIV/AIDS, developmental disabilities, and other specialized care needs.
Visit archcare.org for more information.
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Media Contact:
Kelly Wessel
917-453-7916