Plant City company piloted the program.
Kyle and Laura had lived in Kansas City for five years without day-to-day in person contact with his parents in the suburbs of Chicago. When Kyle’s parents moved to Florida, Kyle and Laura decided to move to the state as well, so they could help out his parents as they aged. Once they moved and began to spend days with his parents, they realized both of the 80-year-olds were struggling with dementia. Their needs for time and help with basic tasks were far greater than anticipated. Kyle’s father became a dangerous driver. His mother would forget to turn off burners on their stove. Working through taking the keys from his resistant father, helping them with day-to-day chores, and making sure they were both safe proved to be an enormous time and energy drain. After a year, Kyle and Laura needed a break—they needed respite.
Recognizing caregivers as essential to dementia treatment, in July 2024, Medicare instituted Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE), a new program for those like Kyle and Laura who are caregivers for family members with dementia. GUIDE is the first time Medicare is covering support for caregivers, not just the patient. For those who qualify, Medicare will cover up to 80 hours of care for the person with dementia, allowing the caregiver to get time away. GUIDE also provides care coordination, 24/7 access to a nurse, and caregiver education. The program pays for 100 percent of the cost of these benefits, with no deductibles or out-of-pocket expenses. The intent is to reduce caregiver burnout by giving them tools, education, and relief. It helps people with dementia live in their home longer with personal support rather than a care facility.
Qualification for GUIDE is not income-based. To enroll, “The first thing they have to do is get in contact with us,” Max Lorissaint, Director of Operations, said. “In order to enroll, you have to qualify. The qualifications for eligibility are: one, you have to be living with dementia, and it has to be diagnosed by a health care professional; two, the person with dementia has to have original Medicare Parts A & B. Those are the primary ones. They also have to have an actual caregiver. When I say caregiver, I mean they have to have someone in the home, a son, or daughter, or someone who would be considered a caregiver, but they can’t be paid.”
Right at Home is a national home care company with several franchises in central Florida. In addition to locations in St. Petersburg, Tampa, and Orlando, Right at Home has an office on W. Baker Street. Right at Home has been open in Plant City for more than a decade, serving eastern Hillsborough County and Polk County. The company provides in-home care options for seniors and adults with disabilities. After Medicare and Right at Home spent the past year working through the pilot, GUIDE went live July 1.
“This benefit is for the caregiver to have some relief,” Lorissaint commented. “They can get in contact with us, give us this information, then we can walk them step-by-step through what to expect to get those hours. We put in a lot of effort because we want to make sure that they know where to go, because, truthfully, it is a little complex. The elderly, for the most part, don’t have much support. I love this business just because we are able to give back to a population of individuals, who took care of us. These older folks end up withering away, not having much support at all. You have to have a heart to be in this business. You have to want to take care of these people.”
To contact Right at Home:
www.rightathome.net/plant-city
813.764.9290
