Figuring out the right care choice for yourself or a loved one can be difficult as not everyone is going to fit neatly into one category. When it comes to deciding if an Adult Family Home is the right choice, let’s first start with defining what an Adult Family Home is.
An Adult Family Home is a residential care home licensed by the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) for up to 8 residents. They can specialize in Dementia, Developmental Disabilities and Mental Health. Most have Medicaid contract with DSHS and may differ in when and how they accept Medicaid residents.
Nursing Home Alternative
Traditionally Adult Family Homes are best seen as a Nursing Home alternative. Their staff has equal or often high qualifications then the general staff at a Nursing Home, the staff to resident ratio is far better, often being 1:3 vs. a Skilled Nursing Facility with 1:10 or even 1:15.
The relationship between staff and resident is far closer as they actually have the opportunity to get to know each resident one on one, which allows them to better monitor each one and catch signs and symptoms that may not be obvious to a caregiver that doesn’t know the resident personally and has 14 other residents to care for at any given time.
Limited Resources
Skilled Nursing level care isn’t the only type of care that people turn to Adult Family Homes for. Those with lighter care needs, but still unable to live on their own and lacking the resources required by most Assisted Living Facilities can find an Adult Family Home to be the best option.
If you are on Medicaid or only have enough income or assets to last up to a few years of Private Pay then an Assisted Living Facility is probably not going to be a viable option, even if it would otherwise be preferable.
For this reason, many Adult Family Homes will have a number of more active residents, which they will coordinate activities for to keep them engaged and both physically and mentally healthy.
While a person may be at the earlier stages of Dementia, they are not able to live alone, but cannot afford to live in an Assisted Living Facility, an Adult Family Home can be a great option.
For those that go in with limited resources, the Adult Family Home will allow for a Medicaid switchover, which means that even once they run out of funds, they will still have a home and be well cared for.
Developmental Disabilities
Quite a few Adult Family Homes are licensed with a specialty in Developmental Disabilities. For those that are younger and more active, there are several dozen Adult Family Homes in Washington State that specialize specifically in that type of care.
Hospice/Respite
Most Adult Family Homes will offer both Hospice and Respite Care for those either at end-of-life care or those recovering from a procedure.
This comes back to the benefit of a far better staff to resident ratio as well as supervision by the Provider.
It’s easier for caregivers to meet the needs of their clients when they aren’t overburdened with too many, as well as just having a personal relationship with that individual client that they see each and every day and get to know personally.
In an Adult Family Home, the Provider has far fewer residents to manage the care for and can be much more available to both the family and the resident to ensure the best quality of care.
Adult Family Homes can also provide a much more comfortable atmosphere for both the resident and family. There is just a different feel in being in a facility vs. a home and that can make a big difference to the resident.
Conclusion
We typically see two types of clients. Those requiring more advanced care and those with limited resources, in both case an Adult Family Home is clearly the best option for quality care with better staff to resident ratios, more personal supervision by the Provider and better communication with the family.
It also offers a homelike environment that can have a very positive impact on the mental health of the resident. A small staff offers real relationships between staff and residents and the families as well as far more attention to the individual needs and condition of each resident.
If you feel like an Adult Family Home would be the best option for you or a love one, please visit LocalCareHomes.com where you can search for options in your area or contact us at 206-686-4580 and one of our advisors can send you a personalized list of Adult Family Homes based on your unique criteria.
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