Concord families caring for a loved one with dementia can learn about a no-cost Medicare support program at a free presentation Thursday, July 16, at 2:30 p.m. at the Harvey Wheeler Community Center. Families who can't attend can contact Care Dimensions directly at 888-283-1722 to ask about enrollment.
Dr. Anna Chon, medical director of palliative care at Care Dimensions, will walk attendees through Medicare's Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) Program. The federal pilot, launched July 1, 2024, pairs enrolled families with a dedicated dementia care navigator and provides caregiver education, a 24/7 support line, and up to $2,500 per year in respite services. There is no cost to eligible participants.
Care Dimensions, a nonprofit hospice and palliative care organization based in Danvers that has served people with Alzheimer's and other dementias for over 45 years, was selected by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services as one of roughly 400 organizations building dementia care programs under the model.
Eligibility requires a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease or another dementia, enrollment in Original Medicare Parts A and B, and no current enrollment in Medicare Hospice or a PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) program. People enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans do not qualify. Residents in long-term nursing homes are also ineligible.
Under the program, each enrolled family gets a care navigator who connects them to education programs, support groups, respite care, and transportation. A clinical care team including nurse practitioners and licensed social workers provides medication management and counseling.
Chon is board certified in hospice and palliative care medicine and performs palliative care consultations at Beverly Hospital and Emerson Hospital. She joined Care Dimensions in 2018.
The presentation takes place at the Concord Council on Aging, located in the Harvey Wheeler Community Center at 1276 Main St. in West Concord. Parking is available behind the building off Church Street. Residents must call the COA at (978) 318-3020 to sign up.
Upcoming community events
- Tuesday, July 28 — Monthly Caregivers' Support Group, 10:30 a.m. to noon, Harvey Wheeler Community Center. Facilitated by COA Assistant Director Nicole Saia. Pre-register at [email protected] or (978) 318-3020.
- Tuesday, August 25 — Monthly Caregivers' Support Group, 10:30 a.m. to noon, same location and contact.
