Guiding patients and families through the dementia care journey
If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with mild, moderate or severe dementia, you may be eligible for additional support through the federal government’s Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) program.
MaineHealth has been selected by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to provide GUIDE services that help:
- Improve quality of life for people with dementia
- Reduce strain on their unpaid caregivers
- Enable people with dementia to remain in their homes and communities
Services are covered under traditional Medicare at no additional cost to the patient and caregiver.
For more information, please contact guidedementiacare@mainehealth.org.
You are not alone
Nearly 7 million Americans are affected by dementia and over 11 million Americans provide unpaid care for people who have dementia.
Frequently asked questions
A person living with dementia is eligible to receive GUIDE services through MaineHealth if they:
- Reside in Cumberland or York Counties in Maine
- Those residing outside of these counties may wish to explore the Andwell Health Partners GUIDE service area map.
- Have a confirmed dementia diagnosis
- Are enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B and it’s their primary payer
- Are not enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan
- Are not enrolled in the hospice benefit
- Are not residing in a long-term skilled nursing home
- Are not enrolled in a Program for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE)
A caregiver is defined as a relative, or unpaid nonrelative, who assists the patient with activities of daily living and/or instrumental activities of daily living. Depending on the patient’s need, the assistance may be episodic, daily, or occasional.
The caregiver does not need to live with the beneficiary and while no specific functions are required to be considered a caregiver, the caregiver should assist the beneficiary with activities of daily living, examples dressing, bathing, eating, preparing meals, mobility, toileting, and transferring.
Once enrolled in GUIDE, the patient and caregiver have access to the following services:
- Caregiver education and support tailored to the needs of the individual caregiver identified through the caregiver assessment
- A personalized care plan, with goals tailored to managing the patient's dementia diagnosis and improving their quality of life
- Ongoing monitoring and support through regular telehealth check-ins with GUIDE care team members
- Care coordination with your existing care providers and transitional care management as you navigate the MaineHealth system
- Referral and coordination of services that support the patient and caregiver in achieving goals identified in their care plan and/or needs identified in the comprehensive assessment
- May be health care or community-based services (e.g. personal care, environmental modifications, etc.).
- Medication management and reconciliation
- Respite care allowance for caregivers of moderate and high complexity patients, allowing them time to focus on well-being
Anyone can refer an eligible individual to the GUIDE program, including the patient, their provider, a family member, a friend, or a community-based organization.