Adult and Family Care
ABOUT THIS PROGRAM:
Are you caring for a loved one at home? The Adult Family/Foster Care (AFC) Program of Centro Las Americas (CLA) provides assistance to adults aged 16 and older who because of illness, weakness, disability or advanced age cannot live safely at home alone. This program is designed for those who do not require constant 24-hour monitoring like that of a skilled nursing facility but do require a significant amount of daily assistance.
As an AFC member, you will live with your trained Caregiver, who can be a family member or a nonfamily member. The Caregiver will provide assistance, cueing or supervision with bathing, dressing, toileting, transferring, ambulating/walking, and eating. The Caregiver will also provide transportation for medical appointments and be a good companion as well.
LEVEL I ADULT FAMILY CARE:
Level One Adult Family Care is for people who need daily assistance with at least one of the following activities of daily living (ADL): bathing, toileting, transferring from one position to another, ambulating (walking or wheelchair assistance), or eating check, and need a minimum of 21 hours per day of supervision.
LEVEL II ADULT FAMILY CARE:
Level Two Adult Family Care is for people who need assistance with three or more adult daily living activities(ADLS), plus caregiver intervention for one or more of these behaviors: wandering, resisting care, being physically or verbally abusive, or socially inappropriate or disruptive behavior.
WHAT ARE THE COSTS?
NO COSTS! This is a service provided to members of MassHealth, at no cost to the members. Your Caregiver will receive a stipend for the services that they provide to you. You will not have to pay your Caregiver!
WILL I HAVE TO MOVE?
The goal is to keep members in their homes! The Caregiver MUST live with you, and can be family or a trained nonfamily member.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
- Must be eligible/enrolled in MassHealth Standard or CommonHealth
- Must be 16 years of age or older
- Must be unable to live alone due to a medical, physical, cognitive, or mental disability
- Must need daily assistance with one or more activities of daily living (bathing, dressing, toileting, transferring, ambulating and eating)
- Cannot require full-time skilled nursing care
- Must be approved for AFC by a physician
WHAT BENEFITS WILL MEMBERS RECEIVE?
Your Caregiver, who can be a family or non-family member, will:
- Prepare meals and snacks
- Assist you will personal care (bathing, dressing, toileting, transferring, ambulating, and eating)
- Provide medication reminders and assistance
- Do shopping, laundry and housekeeping
- Provide transportation to medical appointments and social visits
- Maintain a clean and safe living space
WHO CAN BE AN AFC CAREGIVER?
An AFC Caregiver must:
- Be a responsible person, at least 18 years of age, with the ability to make mature and accurate judgments and with no mental, physical, or other impairments that would interfere with the adequate performance of the duties and responsibilities of an AFC caregiver
- Not abuse alcohol or drugs
- Be able to devote appropriate time necessary to provide needed personal care to the member to ensure the member’s safety and well-being at all times
WHAT DO CAREGIVERS DO?
The Caregiver, who can either be a family member or a nonfamily member, will assist the AFC member with activities of daily living/personal care items, listed on the left. The Caregiver MUST live with the member in order to provide assistance whenever necessary.
WHAT BENEFITS DO CAREGIVERS RECEIVE?
- Form a strong bond with the person they are caring for
- Gain a support system from Centro Las Americas that will train and assist in the care of a member
- Caregivers will be given a tax-free stipend from MassHealth at a predetermined interval based on the level of care they provide to the member
CONTACT AND INFORMATION:
Deb Folsom, LICSW
Director of Family and Community Services
(508)798-1900 x 243,
dfolsom@centrolasamericas.org
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