Hospice of the Valley GUIDE program supports caregivers

azbigmedia.com
Dec. 10, 2025
by Lin Sue Flood

James, a lifelong athlete with 82 marathons under his belt, is facing his toughest challenge now: a type of dementia called primary progressive aphasia. But he’s not alone. He has his wife of 34 years, Reesa, by his side, and the support of a Hospice of the Valley dementia educator, who helps the couple navigate challenges like communication as the disease progresses.

Other essential support comes from Home Instead, a home care agency that provides a caregiver twice a week. Elisha takes early-morning walks with James, then she makes breakfast and they eat together, chatting and laughing.

Reesa is grateful that they focus on what the former Ironman enjoys and can still do: exercise. “Its great social interaction,” she says. “And I also have time to see my mom, run errands or get some work done when Elisha visits. We feel blessed to have found this resource. Its been a gift.”

This unique respite support is part of GUIDE, a new Medicare model of care provided through Hospice of the Valley’s Supportive Care for Dementia program. An acronym for Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience, GUIDE launched in July 2024 to better support people living with dementia and reduce strain on family members who care for them.

“Its a perfect example of how Supportive Care for Dementia meets each patients needs,” says Kristen Pierson, who oversees the program. “Since becoming one of the providers of the GUIDE Model, we have served nearly 400 patients, providing more than 3,600 hours of respite support in partnership with Home Instead and Cypress Homecare. It’s life-changing for these families.”

Linda began receiving respite care about a year ago, after her husband, Russell, her primary caregiver, had open-heart surgery requiring 12 weeks of recovery. During that time, both were homebound, and Lindas cognitive state started to rapidly deteriorate due to isolation and lack of engagement.

“GUIDE set us up with an amazing caregiver, who, coincidentally, is also named Linda, and she is an excellent match with my wife,” Russell shares. “They are now great friends. My wife loves having someone new to talk to and share stories with.”

Hospice of the Valley dementia educator Kobie Chapman says the social interaction immediately improved quality of life by easing emotional strain in the home. Russell agrees: “Respite gave me a break from 24/7 caregiving, and it reduced my stress by 80 percent. No doubt about it, we both look forward to Linda’s visits.”

To qualify for GUIDE, applicants must be enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B (not an Advantage Plan) and have early, moderate or advanced dementia. Call (602) 636-6363 to learn more or visit dementiacampus.org/care-at-home/supportive-care-for-dementia.