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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · The Connecticut Hospice

Medicare GUIDE Dementia Program

What it is

GUIDE (Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience) is a dementia care model created by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. It provides coordinated care planning, a 24/7 support line, caregiver education and respite services for people living with dementia and their unpaid caregivers.

The respite benefit

CMS reimburses participating GUIDE organizations up to $2,500 annually per eligible patient for services that temporarily relieve a qualifying caregiver — including in-home care, adult day center programs and facility-based respite. The amount is an annual maximum set by Medicare rules, not a guaranteed payment, and how much of it a family uses depends on their care plan.

Where it is offered locally

The Connecticut Hospice is one of only two approved GUIDE partners in Connecticut. Its program serves eligible Medicare patients living in New Haven, Fairfield and Middlesex counties.

Who it may apply to

According to The Connecticut Hospice, a person may qualify if they have a dementia diagnosis at any stage, are enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B (Medicare Advantage plans are not eligible), live in the community rather than long-term care, and reside in one of the counties above. Qualifying patients access GUIDE support at no cost.

How to start

Families are encouraged to speak with their primary care physician or neurologist first, then contact The Connecticut Hospice to request an assessment. Enrollment, eligibility and care-plan decisions are made by that program under Medicare rules.

How this relates to Evergreen

Adult day center care is one of the respite services GUIDE can cover. Whether Evergreen can be part of your specific care plan is decided by the GUIDE program, not by us — contact Evergreen or The Connecticut Hospice to understand how it would work for your family.

Eligibility and benefit decisions are made by Medicare and the participating GUIDE organization, not Evergreen. Program details change — always confirm current terms with The Connecticut Hospice before enrolling.