Services

What is the Adult Foster Care Program?

The Adult Foster Care Program is a healthcare benefit offered through MassHealth that supports caregivers in providing assistive services to members who need supervision and aid with daily functions due to advanced age, disability, weakness or illness. The AFC program must be delivered through a fully accredited and state licensed provider agency - that's us, Home Care AFC! We do this by pairing our caregivers and the member they care for with a team of experts - a Registered Nurse and a Case Manager. This care team works with our caregivers to understand the needs of each member and to provide regular oversight and support through monthly home visits to uphold consistency and quality of care. Our team strives to ensure every aspect of the caregiving process is as resourced and streamlined as possible. If you'd like to learn more about the Adult Foster Care Program you can check out our Do I Qualify? page or read the AFC regulation on the MassHealth website.

What does a caregiver do?

The caregiver is an individual who is paid through the AFC program for aiding (by cueing and supervision, or hands on help) in the daily functions of a member who needs assistance with some activities. This includes help with:

Ambulating (walking)
Dressing
Toileting
Bathing
Eating
Transferring
Transportation to medical appointments
Medication management

Caregivers meet with their care teams monthly so that they can receive support and resources in their caregiving journey! They are also responsible for working with their care team to ensure all required documentation is signed and completed. Caregivers must live in the same household as the member they care for, but they do not have to be a family relation.

How do caregivers benefit?

If approved by insurance, caregivers are eligible to receive up to $18,000 per year per member that they assist. This monetary benefit helps make up for some of the financial and time sacrifices that need to be made as a caregiver. Many caregivers in our program are already doing this work out of the goodness of their heart and/or their desire to keep loved ones close and well attended to. This program provides financial support for the effort they would be putting in anyway!

Caregivers also have the support and expertise of a dedicated care team. We understand that many who find themselves in a caregiving position, especially for family members, took over this role out of compassion, love or necessity rather than personal knowledge or capabilities in this field of work. Our care team is here to fill that gap and support you every step of the way by providing resources, knowledge, references and advice as you navigate this important work!

What does my care team provide?

Our care teams are made up of a Registered Nurse and a Case Manager. These team members are your caregiving support network! They provide monthly educational resources and meet with you on a monthly basis to stay updated on the health of the member you care for. In addition, they are a valuable source of knowledge when it comes to references. We know that the caregiving journey can have unexpected turns and our teams are happy to point you to professionals, organizations, and services that may aid you along the way to ensure you are aware of all your options and resources! Our team is passionate about being involved in our community to provide a network of assistance to our caregivers.

How do members benefit?

Our goal is to provide the tools necessary to ensure that each of our members (the individuals who receive assistance from caregivers) can live a healthy, fulfilling life in the comfort of their own home! We emphasize wholistic health and aim to provide support not just in traditional home health terms, which tend to focus on physical/medical aspects, but in every aspect of their lives including relationships, personal interests, and more. We encourage community engagement as an organization because we believe that we can better serve all the members of our community by being involved. By staying involved, we can in turn connect and encourage our members to get involved and feel connected to community as well. We believe in the power of engagement and connection - on the family level and on a broader community level - to foster a happy, healthy and fulfilling life!