Adult Family Care: Truly Home Care
By Claire Cox
Foster care isn’t just for children. It’s also for 67-year-old Ruth Goodrich, and others like her, who live with caring families who have opened their homes and hearts to help them meet their everyday needs.
Goodrich has lived for three years in the North Adams home of Gloria Gamache and her family. They are part of the Elder Services’ Adult Family Care network that makes it possible for many elders to stay in the community.
When Goodrich is not working at the restaurant located at St Joseph’s Court in North Adams or attending the Adult Day Health Program, she enjoys the privacy of her own living room, bedroom, bathroom and porch in the spacious Gamache split-level home, and has opportunities to socialize with members of the family. When alone Goodrich knits, plays solitaire, watches television and listens to country music tapes, often until 11 p.m.
Maureen Tuggey, supervisor of the Adult Family Care Program, explained in an interview that foster care is offered to qualified disabled adults under age 60 with physical needs as well as to any Medicaid-eligible elder 60 and older requiring daily supervision that may include bathing, toileting or dressing, and taking medications.
Assessments are made of both the host family and the prospective client before a placement is made. The client’s care needs are evaluated, and the potential hosts are carefully screened, with criminal background checks, references from six non-relatives and a physician’s assurance that they are in good enough health to care for someone in their home.
Tuggey also checks a dwelling prior to placement to make sure that program requirements have been met for fire extinguishers and smoke detectors and that a bathroom is in working order. She makes sure the interior is neat and the client’s bedroom is accessible.
Before moving in, a client is invited to visit the house and meet the host family. The initial meeting may be followed by a meal at the host home or an overnight "tryout" weekend visit. Within three days after a client moves in, an Elder Services staff member makes an on-site assessment and visits weekly for the next month. After a client moves in the placement is monitored monthly through visits made by a social worker and a nurse to assess a client’s care and overall well being.
"There have to be some care requirements," Tuggey said, "It’s not just a social model. It’s important for people to understand that the client becomes part of the host family. Some clients don’t have extended families. Along with personal care, the host is responsible for providing meals, snacks, laundry and transportation. The host also becomes that person’s advocate and confidant. Because of their hard work and dedication, host families make it possible for program participants to remain outside of institutional settings, allowing them to live in a warm and supportive environment.
The hosts are compensated for 24-hour housing and supervision by reimbursements through MassHealth, and the client pays daily room and board to the host.
"When considering a potential new host, we make sure this cannot be their only stream of income, so money is not the motivating factor." said Lisa Lungo, Director of Client Services. "They are doing this for other reasons."
The 13 hosts now supporting Elder Services clients range from single elders to young families. One young family is caring for two clients, one 90 years old, the other in her mid-60s, as well as for a foster child and one child of their own.
Gloria and her husband, Kenneth, retired North Adams chief of police, decided to offer their home to Elder Services clients after the death of a friend they had taken care of for 15 years.
"After she died, I wanted to keep taking care of people who needed help," Gloria said. "It makes me feel good when I see the smile on Ruthie’s face." Goodrich is not the first person who has joined the Gamache family. Several elders stayed with the family briefly to recuperate from hospital surgery before Elder Services called with a request for a long-term home for Goodrich, who was unhappy in an institutional setting.
"Ruthie and I get along fine," Gamache said. "There is no way you can take care of someone morning, noon and night and not get attached."
For more information about the Adult Family Care Program or if you are interested in becoming a host, call Elder Services at (413) 499-0524 or 1-800-544-5242.
