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My name is Dana Brown and I'm the proud owner of an adult foster care home for the elderly providing alternative care options for our seniors as so their own only option is not a nursing home placement that is so costly. It was back in 1990 when I started my first senior care home business derived from my desire to work at home and as a means to provide care for my mother. Opening a senior care home business was a pivotal point in my life; to set out and accomplish opening a senior care home business within a residential area was not common until 1992, (In 1990 rules governing adult
foster care homes were transparent and at first, the homes were mostly family homes and provided care to people known to them, such as, an aunt or a neighbor who became disabled and needed a place to stay and a caregiver to help them) and only then after much negotiating with senior services on systems that addressed values of independence, dignity, privacy and choice for residents my home was certified to be allowed to provide care for residents.
I have had many quality experiences through providing care for our frail seniors and have had the pleasure of interacting with residents, families of residents, as well as people in the care team, including physicians, social workers, and hospital discharge planners.
But what is clear is that the family caregiver is the prescription to make America great. While the United States may not have the best health care coverage in the world, we Americans do provide the best care for our elderly population, second to none! When a resident I once worked with was asked by his physician who takes care of you, the resident replied, Who do you think? My girls take care of me. Those "girls" he was referring to (which he said with a twinkle in his eye) were his caregivers.
“It's about the passion to help others around you and making AMERICA great!”
Adult foster care is a vital part of the long term care service system in place for our seniors offering a homelike atmosphere, individual care when recuperating from a fall or illness and then graduating our senior’s back home. In addition, when seniors require long-term care not every frail elderly or disabled person consider nursing homes a good option for them as individuals.
Adult foster care homes have become an important option for those who need full-time care. Caregivers and staff of the homes often provide for the total well being of the person with assistance from a contracted registered nurse for complex nursing tasks: when needed, ensuring continuity of resident care. The adult foster care home is ideal for short or long-term care “aging in place” for our seniors requiring 1 and 1 care. Adult foster care offers and encourages resident (persons) of the home a wide rang of services and activities nursing homes simply cannot consistently provide due to their patient to staff ratios. Part of making an AFC “just like home” is giving each resident as much independence as possible to decide in what and how they wish to participate such as voting, outings, exercise and activities of daily living.
Adult foster care homes must meet strict rules of the industry and only qualified care providers are issued a license to provide direct care for our seniors within a licensed foster home. All AFC homes will meet a specific care classification level upon state licensing, (Administrators/providers can only admit residents that do not exceed the licensed care home classification level i.e. level 1,2,3 -) and based on direct care giving experience and/or training the primary care giver has acquired in charge, of the licensed care home. This is ideal when matching or comparing a care home based on a person actual care needs with the goal of nursing home savings.
My greatest accomplishment (between the daily rush of life and working hard day in and day out) is when residents, and families of residents find adult foster care as comfortable as home, knowing they can age in a safe place where they don't have to worry about the little things, such as home maintenance, paying bills, and taking medications properly.
“I always knew that I would be an effective helper for our senior persons whom have giving so much. I genuinely care for others and I have the desire to help our elderly people ultimately "graduate" back to residing in their own homes from a nursing home stay.”
-- Dana Brown
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