Health Care

This South Florida service gives a break to dementia caregivers — and it’s free

Care Coordinator Angela Audit, left, and owner Sidney Chugani, are shown at Right at Home in Dania Beach, Florida. The company enrolls clients in a free Medicare program for seniors with dementia and their caregivers.
Care Coordinator Angela Audit, left, and owner Sidney Chugani, are shown at Right at Home in Dania Beach, Florida. The company enrolls clients in a free Medicare program for seniors with dementia and their caregivers. South Florida Sun Sentinel

A new, no-cost Medicare pilot program is available in South Florida for individuals living with dementia and their caregivers.

The Medicare GUIDE program acknowledges the significant toll of caring for someone with dementia and offers free support to their caregivers.

Sidney Chugani, president of Right at Home Dania Beach, assists local families in enrolling in the GUIDE program. Once enrolled, an unpaid caregiver such as a family member can request relief on a part-time basis, ask for help finding a support group, or tap into a 24/7 support line. The caregiver can also access training programs on best practices for caring for a loved one with dementia. Through this program, an individual with dementia will get assigned a Care Navigator to help them access medical services and supports, such as meals and transportation.

Read the full story at Sun-Sentinel.com.

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