PACE-RI Expands to Help Address Senior Housing Crisis
The PACE Organization of Rhode Island (PACE-RI) is expanding its efforts to help older adults age with dignity and independence by acquiring three elder care buildings in Cranston, RI. For more than 20 years, PACE-RI has empowered older Rhode Islanders to age in their homes and communities through integrated medical care, health coverage and social support. Now, through its recently created affiliate, Canopy Care Solutions, the organization will bring the same mission-driven approach to housing.
“Our expansion into housing is driven by what we’re seeing every day in our own population,” said Joan Kwiatkowski, CEO of PACE-RI. “Each month, 10 to 12 PACE participants face housing instability or the risk of homelessness. We cannot fully support the health of our older adults without addressing the need for stable, affordable living options.”
The PACE-RI experience reflects a growing national trend. One in five people who were homeless in 2024 were 55 or older, with the total older homeless population up 6 percent from the previous year.1
Building on the Legacy of Scandinavian Communities
Canopy Care has assumed operations of the Scandinavian Communities property in the Cranston neighborhood of Edgewood to ensure that the 96-year-old facility can continue to support area residents. Founded in 1930 as the Scandinavian Old People’s Home, Scandinavian Communities originally was established to meet the needs of Swedish immigrants seeking to care for members of their own community.
The partnership is a full-circle moment. In 2005 Scandinavian Communities was among the founding financial supporters of PACE-RI. In late 2025, faced with the financial challenges of operating a facility in today’s long-term care landscape, its board made the decision to donate the property to Canopy Care to maintain its nonprofit mission and secure a sustainable future.
“Our board recognized that the financial model that has worked for us for over 90 years is no longer sustainable due to our small size and escalating costs,” said Wayne Kezirian, former board chair of the Scandinavian Home. “PACE is a well-respected, local nonprofit organization that shares our mission. Their operating budget is 10 times larger than ours, and an affiliation with PACE will achieve certain economies of scale that we cannot achieve on our own. This affiliation is noteworthy because it means Scandinavian Home residents and staff will continue to enjoy quality care and that our facility will continue to be part of the fabric of our community for years to come.”
Under Canopy Care Solutions, the Scandinavian Communities property will undergo redevelopment and rebranding while maintaining stability for current residents. The campus includes two connected buildings. One will continue to operate as 35 market-rate, one-bedroom, assisted living apartments with minimal disruption. Renovations will be largely cosmetic, with current residents staying in place.
The second building is a two-story former skilled nursing facility that has been vacant since 2024. It will be transformed into 42 new residential units as part of a $5 million renovation project. One floor will feature 26 affordable, assisted living apartments, while the other will offer 16 market-rate, independent living units (one bedroom and studios), expanding housing options for older Rhode Islanders. Construction is expected to continue into the end of the year, and new program names will be forthcoming in the fall.
Memory Care Assisted Living
Canopy Care Solutions also is acquiring Cra-Mar Meadows, a closed nursing home located in the Cranston neighborhood of Hope. The 3.45-acre property includes a 12,675-square foot building.
To meet growing community needs, the structure will be converted into a 24-unit assisted living facility specializing in care for older adults with dementia. More than a third of the older adults served by PACE-RI have a dementia diagnosis, making the redevelopment a natural fit for its mission. Renovations are expected to begin in the coming months, with construction projected to continue through the end of 2026.
“The owners of the Scandinavian Communities and Cra-Mar Meadows properties have put their trust in us to continue caring for elders in their communities,” said Kwiatkowski. “We look forward to building on their remarkable legacies by providing stable, supportive housing where older adults can age with dignity.”
PACE-RI is a health plan for adults age 55 and over who have chronic health needs but want to remain living at home. Founded in 2005, PACE-RI provides a range of health and social services, including adult day care, rides and meals. This comprehensive approach keeps its medically complex participants out of nursing homes for nearly four years, on average. Canopy Care Solutions provides housing, meal delivery and adult day care.
1. U.S. Government Accountability Office. (2025). More Older Adults Are Homeless, Jan. 16.