We fell in love and got married. Circumstances later led to the legal end of our marriage, but as it turns out, not to the end of our love. Ann and I resumed living together some 17 years after our divorce.
Ann eventually suffered many serious health setbacks, leading to hospitalization and several months in a skilled nursing facility. She required significant physical assistance in many areas. She had lost weight and was declining. I wanted to bring Ann home to stabilize and slow down the progression of her decline. I did some online research and learned about Adult Family Care (AFC.) I felt I could care for her at home with the support of AFC and hospice services. I was right.
This situation presented some challenges, but the AFC RN, Nancy and AFC Case Manager, Shawna, met them well. How to elicit feedback from someone who is non-verbal? It was clear that Ann could understand what was being said to her. The AFC RN looked Ann in the eye and said, “Squeeze my hand if your goal is to go home with Michael.” And squeeze she did, turning to face me with a smile.
Ann returned home and became an AFC consumer the following day. I created a home environment exceptionally suited to Ann’s physical and mental/emotional needs. This included a large television screen that could be used for Ann to Skype with her out-of-town daughters. A week after she was home with me, Shawna asked Ann if she was happy to be home. Ann’s smile lit up the room!
As the weather improved, I was able to get Ann outside for porch-sitting, car rides, and ice cream outings. I invited extended family to visit Ann on weekends. My nurturing included providing Ann with colored pencils, paints, and water colors. Ann resumed her work as an artist, signing her impressive creations. Six months after coming home, Ann was surpassing everyone’s expectations, thriving in my loving care.
I am so grateful to this very day for the support of AFC program and the AFC team that allowed me to care for my beloved Ann in the comfort of our home.”
Overview
WHAT IS ADULT FAMILY CARE?
Adult Family Care, also known as Adult Foster Care, is a MassHealth funded program that provides emotional and financial support to caregivers who provide twenty-four-hour care to an older adult or individual with a disability at home. A consumer qualifies if they are 16 or older, require daily assistance with personal care, and meet clinical eligibility, signed off on by a Primary Care Physician. Adult Family Care also carefully matches consumers who do not have an identified caregiver with approved families. Each caregiver and consumer are paired with a case manager and a registered nurse, who complete monthly home visits and provide ongoing support.
WHY ADULT FAMILY CARE FROM AGING SERVICES OF NORTH CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS?
Aging Services of North Central Massachusetts’ Adult Family Care Program is a long-established program of quality care and support since 1982. Our staff of nurses and case managers are skilled professionals working in North Central Massachusetts. We have well-established connections, which makes addressing the needs of the participants and caregivers easier to achieve while providing ongoing assessments, support, and training to the families who have made the choice to provide a home for an individual with personal care needs. ASNCM’s Adult Family Care program is accredited through the National Committee of Quality Assurance.
Our Adult Family Care Program is dedicated to providing safe, caring homes for the young disabled and for adults of all ages who wish to live as independently as possible in a community setting. We take great pride in the success and longevity of our participants’ placements and the superior care they receive from our devoted caregivers.
We serve individuals with a wide range of disabilities, who also have different backgrounds, beliefs, and cultures — our values of dignity and respect are universal.
ELIGIBILITY
ELIGIBILITY FOR CONSUMERS
The individual receiving services must:
- Be at least 16 years old
- Have MassHealth for health insurance
- Have a physical or developmental disability and need daily supervision or hands-on assistance with at least one activity of daily living
- Have a Primary Care Physician sign off on the Adult Family Care Program
- Be able to be safely cared for at home
- Be able to safely interact with his or her live-in caregiver
ELIGIBILITY FOR CAREGIVERS
The individual providing care must:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Successfully pass a CORI
- Provide satisfactory references including Primary Care Physician sign off
- Cannot be the legal guardian or spouse of the consumer needing care
HOME ENVIRONMENT
- Must meet MassHealth’s regulatory requirements
BENEFITS
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS TO THE CONSUMER?
- A host family will provide you with:
- A private room
- Meals
- A plan of care tailored to your particular needs including assistance with:
- bathing
- dressing
- medication management
- transportation to medical appointments
- Being a member of your host family’s household gives you an opportunity to participate in family activities and stay connected to your community
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS TO THE CAREGIVER?
- Work in your own home
- Enrich your own life while enhancing the life of another
- Receive a monthly, tax-free stipend from MassHealth
- Work together with a professional nurse and case manager on an individualized care plan for the consumer requiring care
APPLICATIONS
Click the button below to be redirected to our Caregiver Application.
Click the button below to be redirected to our Adult Family Care Referral form.
CONTACT
- Call today or complete this form to make a referral for an individual that requires care.
- Interested in being a paid caregiver? We can match you with an individual in need or help you support a family member.
- Interested in being a respite caregiver? We believe providing our consumers and caregivers with respite when needed is vital. We can match you with an individual in need for a day, weekend, or temporary basis.
- Our intake process starts with a phone interview to determine overall eligibility and then entails home visits for assessment, evaluation, and training.
