VCU GUIDE Center for Dementia Care
Unending hope
Helping patients and caregivers navigate dementia care with support and compassion
Who we help
The VCU GUIDE Center supports people living with dementia and their caregivers. We meet the requirements of the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) GUIDE program.
To qualify, patients must:
- Have Medicare Part A and B (not Medicare Advantage)
- Be diagnosed with dementia by a doctor
- Live at home, in a group home, or assisted living
- Not receiving care through PACE or hospice
- What we do
Our program provides certified dementia practitioners (CDPs) for patients who get care from specified providers of VCU Health.
These CDPs will:
- Do an assessment that includes:
- An in-home check for safety
- A look at the physical healthcare, social care and mental care needs
- See if the caregiver qualifies for respite care (temporary relief)
- Get patient and caregiver consent
- Create a comprehensive care plan with the patient and caregiver
- Stay in touch regularly to adjust care as needed
- Help coordinate with doctors and other health providers
- Offer education and support for caregivers
When you’ll hear from us
You’ll get regular calls or video visits from your CDP, based on a schedule set by Medicare.
Need help urgently? CDPs are available 24/7 by paging their phone. They can give help on urgent dementia care needs.
Where services happen
We offer support in different ways:
- Phone calls
- Telehealth (video visits)
- In-person visits, including group sessions or private consults.
- We also do home safety checks when you first join and if your address changes.
Cost of care
You won’t get a bill for GUIDE services from our center. Medicare covers the cost.
Patients with high needs and informal caregivers may be able to get respite care. We contract with in-home, out-of-home and day programs to give up to $2,500 per year.