UToledo Health is one of the first organizations in the state to take part in a new nationwide federal program aimed at improving the care of individuals with dementia while offering education and support to their family caregivers.
“We don’t currently have many options in terms of medications that can prevent or reverse the progress of dementia,” said Dr. Anu Garg, a board- certified geriatric medicine physician with UToledo Health. “What we can do, however, is improve our coordination of care and do a better job of educating and supporting caregivers to provide patients the best possible quality of life.”
The Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) Model, which was rolled out last year by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, aims to set a new standard approach to dementia care with a goal of improving quality of life for people living with dementia, enhancing support for unpaid caregivers and helping people living with dementia stay in their homes and communities longer.
UToledo Health and its physician practice group are among 390 organizations nationwide selected by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to participate in this program. About half of those, including UToledo Health, are enrolling patients now, with the remainder beginning to offer services in July.
Patients who sign up to participate in the GUIDE Model through UToledo Health will receive a comprehensive assessment to identify their individual health needs and receive personalized care plans developed in collaboration with their caregivers, family and interdisciplinary team at UToledo Health. The GUIDE Model also provides caregiver support, including direct communication with a care navigator, caregiver education, GUIDE Respite services, coordination and support of community-based services, and 24/7 access to a care team to ask questions and receive support.
To participate in GUIDE, patients must be enrolled in Original Medicare Parts A and B, have a confirmed dementia diagnosis and be living at home, in an assisted-living facility without skilled nursing care or in a community dwelling. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid will make the determination of alignment with the program after documentation and an initial assessment is competed.
There is no additional cost for patients to participate in the GUIDE Model program, and patients can continue seeing their primary care provider, as well as any doctor or hospital that accepts Medicare.
“This program is about helping empower people to have the confidence to take care of their loved one at home,” said Brooke Pawlecki, a licensed practical nurse and lead care navigator for the GUIDE program for UToledo Health. “Caring for a loved one with dementia is challenging and a huge responsibility. With this program we can answer questions, help the caregiver prepare for difficult situations, arrange referrals for services, just be there to support you, and help the caregiver be prepared for the dementia journey.”
Dementia affected more that 6.7 million Americans in 2023, with 14 million projected cases by 2060.
Currently there are more than 55 million people with dementia worldwide and every year there are nearly 10 million new cases. It is currently the seventh leading cause of death and one of the major causes of disability and dependency among older people globally.
Multiple studies have found that most patients with dementia are living at home and in the community. Though staying at home can improve an individual’s quality of life and reduce healthcare expenditures, it also puts a tremendous burden on unpaid caregivers.
“Dementia affects not only the patient, it also affects their caregivers. Care for these patients is often fragmented, and making those connections fall on the caregivers on top of all their other responsibilities,” Garg said. “This program allows us to take over as the driver of the patients care. We have geriatric specialists, we have social workers, care navigators, and pharmacists in our clinic and we are very well connected to community resources.”
UToledo Health is in the process of contacting existing patients who may be eligible for the program. Individuals and their caregivers also can contact UToledo Health about the program by emailing CMSGUIDEProgram@utoledo.edu.
