Lutheran Senior Services (LSS), a nonprofit senior living provider, is expanding its dementia care offerings to reach more older adults through the implementation of the GUIDE model. The program, set to launch in July 2025, aims to help older adults with dementia stay in their homes longer and in better health.
Alongside LSS, other senior living operators like United Church Homes are also participating in the GUIDE model. The program includes training, in-home caregiver support, and a new payment method for providers to enhance care coordination.
During the first 12 months of the program, LSS will focus on integrating GUIDE into its existing operations. Staff training will cover care navigation, with a medical director overseeing the process and social workers serving as care navigators for families.
Colleen Bottens, Vice President of Home and Community-Based Services at LSS, highlighted the organization’s commitment to improving dementia care and extending services beyond the traditional community boundaries. Through the GUIDE program, LSS aims to provide support to individuals both within and outside its life-plan communities.
The new care coordination payment model, supported by CMS, will offer a revenue stream for providers to manage care, including an assessment based on social determinants of health. This model will enhance the delivery of dementia care by assisting caregivers in coordinating appointments and preventing duplication of services.
Bottens emphasized the importance of supporting caregivers, including offering respite care to ensure they have time to reset and take care of themselves. She believes that the GUIDE model will revolutionize dementia care delivery and reach a broader group of individuals in need.
In preparation for the GUIDE model rollout, LSS is updating its back-end systems and establishing an overnight call center to provide caregiver support. Bottens expressed confidence in the organization’s readiness for the program’s launch date of July 1, 2025.
