An excerpt from Memory Care Business
By: Sloane Airey
It’s still not clear how the incoming administration of President Donald Trump will affect the senior living industry – but memory care experts are optimistic that his aging voter base could mean bipartisan support for Biden-era programs and initiatives.
The latest Trump presidency coincides with the country’s largest age cohort – the Boomer generation – aging into their elder years. In the next five years, the U.S. Census Bureau estimates there will be 19.5 million Americans turning 80 years or older and all Boomers will be 65 or older.
There are hopes within the U.S. memory care sector that the incoming administration won’t rock the boat much with regard to programs established under Biden. That includes the GUIDE model, which created new training and support for in-home caregivers and around-the-clock support along with a new form of payment for participating providers to coordinate care.
Experts who spoke with Memory Care Business cited the program’s success in reducing costs and its use among older adults over 50, a majority of whom voted for Trump in the 2024 election, as two big reasons why they think the incoming administration won’t be too hasty in rolling back the program.
‘We’ve got a big challenge ahead of us’
Among the companies forging ahead with a plan to offer new services through the GUIDE model is Rippl Care, a dementia care startup that offers around-the-clock support and personalized care to older adults and their families and caregivers.
Rippl Founder and CEO Kris Engskov noted that the demand for better services for people living with dementia is great given that one out of three older adults age 85 and older have an Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
The Seattle-based company aims to keep dementia patients out of the emergency department with the goal of reducing healthcare costs and patient stress. It partners with health systems and other organizations working with Medicare Advantage plans, accountable care organizations and other “payviders” to deliver dementia care services through value-based care arrangements.
It’s a care model built off of the same data that led the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) to create the Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) model.
CMS launched the GUIDE model in 2023 to pilot new ways to care for the rapidly growing number of people with dementia. Like Rippl, GUIDE aims to help individuals with dementia to remain in their homes longer and maintain better health. The program provides training for in-home caregivers and offers them 24/7 support, and it introduces a new payment system for participating providers to improve patient care coordination. GUIDE also offers a $2,500 respite voucher for at-home caregivers.
Experts who spoke to Memory Care Business said there’s reason to be optimistic about GUIDE and the larger memory care industry during the Trump administration.
Given the importance of the baby boomer generation voting bloc to Republicans and their rapidly increasing need for memory care. At Home Harmony Founder Will Saunders told MCB in an interview that, “we believe it is highly unlikely CMS and the Trump Administration alters course on the GUIDE program and its core initiative of providing more support to individuals living with dementia and their family caregivers.”
Engskov with Rippl Care agreed: “Certainly from our viewpoint, this is a proven model that delivers great clinical outcomes and reduces cost, and those are the two things we have to do right.”
