Swank Center for Memory Care to Test Groundbreaking Dementia Care Model

ChristianaCare’s Swank Center for Memory Care has been selected by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to participate in a new alternative payment model to Medicare designed to support people with dementia and those who care for them.

Delaware is a popular state for retirees and its aging population is expected to grow. According to the Alzheimer Association22,000 people in Delaware who are 65 or older are living with Alzheimer’s, about 11% of the state’s senior population. Additionally, about 31,000 people in Delaware are caregivers for people with Alzheimer’s.

Under CMS’ The Guide to an Enhanced Dementia Experience (GUIDE) ModelThe Swank Center for Memory Care is one of a handful of programs selected nationally by CMS that is committed to improving care coordination and increasing access to services and supports, including respite care, for people with dementia and their caregivers.

Make a appointment for a consultation at the Swank Center for Memory Care.

The Swank Center for Memory Care will launch GUIDE in July 2025. It will provide important support services to those enrolled in the program, including:

• Comprehensive, person-centered assessments and care plans.
• Coordination of care.
• Access to a 24/7 GUIDE team support line and respite care.
• Education and training for program participants.

Swank Memory Care Center, with locations in Wilmington, Smyrna and Rehoboth, offers the GUIDE program to patients and caregivers throughout Delaware and the surrounding region.

“As a leader in the treatment of people with memory disorders, our team of clinicians is honored to have been selected by CMS to participate in the groundbreaking GUIDE program,” said Steven Huege, MD, MSEd, The Swank Foundation Endowed Chair in Memory Care and Geriatrics at ChristianaCare.

“By participating in this model, we aim to improve the quality of life for people with dementia and provide those who care for them with the essential resources and respite they need. This opportunity allows us to further advance our commitment to transforming health care and ensuring that high-quality, compassionate care is accessible to all.”

GUIDE offers education about caring for a loved one with dementia and respite care for caregivers.

Under this program, people with dementia and their caregivers receive help and support from a care navigator who helps them access clinical and non-clinical services, such as meals and transportation through community organizations.

Program participants will also have access to education and support, such as training programs on best practices for caring for a loved one with dementia. The GUIDE model provides respite care, which allows caregivers to take temporary breaks from their caregiving responsibilities. Respite care is being tested under the GUIDE model to assess its impact on helping caregivers continue to care for their loved ones at home, thereby preventing or delaying the need for institutional care.

“CMS is pleased to partner with ChristianaCare’s Swank Center for Memory Care under the GUIDE model,” said CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure.

“GUIDE is a new approach to how Medicare will pay for care for people with dementia. GUIDE participants are coming up with new ways to not only support people with dementia, but also to reduce the burden on the people who care for them, so more Americans can stay in their homes and communities, rather than in institutions.”