PocketRN, Caring Senior Service Partner to Test GUIDE Model

PALO ALTO, California—PocketRN, a provider of virtual nursing, and Caring Senior Service, a homecare company, announced they will form a partnership to test the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) alternative payment model designed to support people living with dementia and their caregivers. 

Under CMS’s Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) Model, PocketRN will be one of almost 400 participants building dementia care programs (DCPs) across the country, working to increase care coordination and improve access to services and supports, including respite care, for people living with dementia and their caregivers.

Caring Senior Service said this partnership with PocketRN is rooted in the fact that a significant portion of its client base has a dementia diagnosis. Their franchised locations provide daily care and respite care for caregivers in the homes of people living with dementia.

Launched on July 1, 2024, the GUIDE Model will test a new payment approach for key supportive services furnished to people living with dementia, including: person-centered assessments and care plans; care coordination; 24/7 access to an interdisciplinary care team member or help line; and certain respite services to support caregivers. People with dementia and their caregivers will have the assistance and support of a care navigator to help them access clinical and non-clinical services such as meals and transportation through community-based organizations.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to bring our revolutionary Nurse for Life model to the millions of dementia patients and families who need it most,” said PocketRN CEO Jenna Morgenstern-Gaines. “With PocketRN, patients and families get unwavering support from a dedicated, trusted nurse as they navigate the complexities of managing dementia at no cost to them. Nurses are hands-down the best clinicians to be the ‘glue’ for patients and their families throughout their dementia journey–they’ve been doing so forever, and it’s high-time their work is valued by our system.”

Caring Senior Service founder and CEO Jeff Salter said the partnership is a great opportunity for both companies to make a significant impact on the decisions Medicare and Medicaid make regarding the future of managed services for people suffering with dementia.

“The GUIDE Model focuses on a holistic approach to dementia care with the goal of keeping individuals in their own homes for as long as possible,” Salter said. “Caring’s mission has always been to help seniors remain happy and healthy at home. Teaming with PocketRN to shape national dementia care guidelines enables us to advance that objective on a nationwide scale.”

PocketRN said its participation in the GUIDE Model will help people living with dementia and their caregivers have access to education and support, such as training programs on best practices for caring for a loved one living with dementia. The GUIDE Model also provides respite services for certain people, enabling caregivers to take temporary breaks from their caregiving responsibilities. Respite is being tested under the GUIDE Model to assess its effect on helping caregivers continue to care for their loved ones at home, preventing or delaying the need for facility care.

GUIDE participants represent a wide range of health care providers, including large academic medical centers, small group practices, community-based organizations, health systems, hospice agencies and other practices.

For more information on CMS’ GUIDE Model, visit cms.gov/priorities/innovation/innovation-models/guide.