The notion of assisted living or nursing homes can seem daunting, especially when considering what your loved one needs. Such facilities differ in the services they provide and who can be admitted, and you may struggle to find a home or community that can accept a family member. However, adult foster homes represent an option that some people don’t even realize they have, though it could be exactly what they’re looking for.
What is Adult Foster Care?
Broadly speaking, adult foster care (AFC) refers to housing for seniors or adults with disabilities that need moderate assistance with daily living but not the full clinical supervision of traditional nursing homes. In contrast to the institutional setting that nursing homes or assisted living facilities usually entail, AFC housing more closely resembles residential living in a community and can be arranged by local government or private agencies. Often, a single home can include one to five adults and a single caretaker.
Who Can Be Admitted?
The specifics vary from one state to another, but AFC housing is generally open to adults that require some daily assistance but are otherwise semi-independent. A medical or psychiatric diagnosis is often expected, but residents generally aren’t in need of skilled nurses—if that is the case, you may be looking for an assisted living or nursing facility instead. Financial considerations also differ between states and homes, but you can expect adult foster care to be less costly than either nursing homes or assisted living.
Adult Foster Care Services
The caretakers in AFC housing are not skilled nurses but they are equipped to provide for the basic daily needs of residents—these include cooking, cleaning, laundry, transportation and general supervision. At the same time, residents are able to maintain an independent lifestyle to the fullest of their capabilities otherwise. Residents also have the option to live together with others receiving the same care, providing much-needed socialization.
If adult foster care sounds better suited to what you’re looking for, either for yourself or for a loved one, you can find more detailed information by searching for adult foster care service Massachusetts and contacting local AFC agencies.