Alzheimer's and Dementia Programs in Indiana

State-Level Dementia Programs

Indiana runs several programs specifically for families dealing with Alzheimer's and related dementias. These operate independently from the Medicaid waiver system, so families don't need to meet Medicaid eligibility to access most of them.

Dementia Care Support Specialists

The FSSA Bureau of Better Aging funds Dementia Care Support Specialists stationed at Area Agencies on Aging throughout the state. These specialists provide one-on-one guidance to caregivers — helping navigate available services, connect with local resources, and develop care plans tailored to the family's situation. The service is free and doesn't require Medicaid enrollment.

Contact your regional AAA and ask specifically for the Dementia Care Support Specialist. This is a more targeted resource than general options counseling, focused specifically on cognitive impairment and memory care navigation.

The Age Forward Together Plan

Indiana's multisector plan for aging, "Age Forward Together," coordinates nutrition, transportation, respite, and community support services to address the state's projected 41% rise in the aging population by 2035. The plan drives funding priorities and program development at the state level. While families don't interact with it directly, it shapes which services get funded and expanded at the local AAA level.

CICOA CareAware (Central Indiana)

CICOA Aging & In-Home Solutions — the Area Agency on Aging serving the Indianapolis metro and surrounding counties — runs CareAware, a comprehensive caregiver support program that includes:

• One-on-one caregiver counseling with trained specialists who understand dementia progression and family dynamics
• Peer support groups that meet regularly for caregivers in all stages of the journey — from early-diagnosis planning through facility placement and grief
• Dementia Friends Indiana, a public awareness initiative that trains community members in dementia-friendly interaction. While not a clinical service, Dementia Friends training helps neighbors, bank tellers, grocery workers, and others interact respectfully and safely with people living with cognitive impairment

CareAware services are available regardless of income. CICOA serves Marion, Hendricks, Hamilton, Boone, Johnson, Shelby, Morgan, and Hancock counties. Other AAAs across the state offer similar (though sometimes smaller) caregiver support programs.

National Programs With Indiana Access Points

Alzheimer's Association Greater Indiana Chapter

The Greater Indiana Chapter operates a 24/7 helpline (1-800-272-3900) staffed by trained specialists who can answer questions about dementia behaviors, connect families with local resources, and provide crisis support. They also offer:

• Local in-person and virtual support groups across the state
• Early-stage social engagement programs for people recently diagnosed
• Education workshops on communication techniques, legal planning, and safety
• MedicAlert + Wandering Support (a nationwide identification and support program for wandering incidents)

GUIDE Model Participants

The CMS GUIDE model (Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience) is a federal program that funds structured dementia caregiver support through participating providers. GUIDE participants in Indiana offer comprehensive care coordination, caregiver training, and respite support. Check with your parent's primary care provider or local health system to determine whether they participate in the GUIDE model.

Care-Funding Programs That Cover Dementia Services

Several Indiana programs fund specific services useful for families managing dementia:

CHOICE Program. The Community and Home Options to Institutional Care for the Elderly and Disabled covers home-delivered meals, transportation, homemaker services, respite care, and adult day services for individuals 60+ who need help with at least two activities of daily living. No income limit, though a sliding-scale cost share applies based on assets (limit: $250,000). CHOICE can't be used alongside Medicare or Medicaid for the same services.

National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP). Administered by local AAAs, NFCSP provides non-income-tested respite grants and caregiver counseling for families caring for someone 60 or older, or for a person of any age with dementia. This is one of the few programs without age restrictions on the care recipient when dementia is the qualifying condition.

Structured Family Caregiving (SFC). Available through the PathWays and Health and Wellness Waivers, SFC pays a daily stipend to a live-in family caregiver. Indiana allows a spouse to serve as the paid caregiver under SFC, though paid waiver services for a spouse are capped at a combined 40 hours per week and require the applicable extraordinary-care clinical criteria.

Finding Your Starting Point

The right program depends on where your parent is in the progression, what kind of help your family needs most, and whether Medicaid eligibility is a factor. For families in Central Indiana, CICOA's CareAware is the most practical first call. For families elsewhere in the state, contact your regional Area Agency on Aging and ask for dementia-specific services.

The Indiana Dementia & Memory Care Guide maps all of these programs against eligibility criteria and funding mechanisms, so you can identify which combination of support covers your family's situation without contacting each agency separately.

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