A Guide Through a Difficult Journey: Golden Years Connects Seniors With New Dementia Resource
By Shelby County Observer — Community Affairs Department on August 31, 2026
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Dementia affects more than memory. It can reshape the daily lives of entire families, leaving caregivers searching for answers, resources and support.
That reality was at the center of Golden Years Adult Day Care’s monthly Chronic Disease Management Seminar, held August 26. The program, “Protect Your Brain: Memory, Dementia & Healthy Aging,” taught seniors how to distinguish ordinary age-related forgetfulness from warning signs that may warrant medical evaluation, while emphasizing exercise, sleep, nutrition, medication safety, social connection and continued learning.
The seminar also featured Matt Christianson, Account Manager for Home Health with Meritan, who introduced participants to the federal GUIDE Model — Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience.
Christianson described GUIDE as an important resource for families facing what can be an extraordinarily difficult situation. The Medicare initiative is designed to improve care for people living with dementia while also supporting their unpaid caregivers.
Created by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, GUIDE provides participating dementia-care programs with a framework that can include individualized care plans, care coordination, caregiver education and support, 24-hour access to assistance, connections to community resources and respite services for eligible families.
Perhaps most importantly for Golden Years, Christianson said he plans to help the adult day care pursue participation with the GUIDE program, potentially connecting Golden Years and the families it serves with a broader network of dementia-care resources.
The presentation complemented Golden Years’ larger message that protecting brain health requires more than any single medicine, food or activity. Participants took part in memory exercises, educational games and a 25-question brain-health challenge before ending the seminar with three simple instructions: “Keep Learning. Keep Moving. Keep Connecting.”
Golden Years ’ monthly Chronic Disease Management seminars are made possible through grant funding associated with the Tennessee Department of Disability and Aging’s support for senior centers and programs serving older Tennesseans.
The combination of state-supported health education and the potential connection to the federal GUIDE initiative represents something practical for Memphis families confronting dementia: more information, more community connections and, potentially, more help navigating one of aging’s most difficult journeys.
To have you or your loved one become a part of GoldenYears Adult Day Care, please call our 24/7 hotline at (901) 260-9933. Participation in the GoldenYears Adult Day Care program is FREE.
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