ORLANDO, Fla. — Across Central Florida, many families feel helpless caring for a loved one with dementia. But for the first time, Medicare is helping cover the cost of in-home care, providing much-needed emotional and financial relief.
For caregiver Catherine Stuart, the program is life-changing. Her 92-year-old mother was diagnosed with dementia last year. “I’ve had some moments where my mom didn’t know who I was,” Stuart said. “Sometimes you don’t know that you’re close to a wall and hitting it, until something like that happens.”
That’s where the new federal program called GUIDE, which stands for Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience, comes in. Launched by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in July 2024, GUIDE is a voluntary nationwide test program designed to support people living with dementia and the unpaid family members who care for them.
“This is a research project in many ways,” explained Nikki Magyar, president of Right at Home, an in-home care service participating in the model. “They’re going to be collecting a lot of data through Medicare, analyzing what it aligns with, and in the future, figuring out how they can reduce costs—whether it’s keeping people at home, providing respite care, or other services to help lower readmission costs.”
GUIDE provides families with personalized care plans, 24/7 virtual support from healthcare professionals, and limited in-home care hours covered by Medicare, approximately 80 hours annually. It’s the first time Medicare has covered this type of service.
“It’s peace of mind,” Stuart said. “Having done it 24/7 by myself… if I need additional help, if I just need a weekend away, I have that now.”
Magyar says the benefits extend beyond easing the burden on caregivers. By lowering the need for emergency calls, hospital stays, and nursing home placements, GUIDE also has the potential to reduce overall Medicare and Medicaid costs.
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2025 Cox Media Group
