People who need long-term services and supports want alternatives to nursing homes as living options. Adult Family Care (AFC), which is not as well known among consumers as home care and assisted living, gives older adults and people with disabilities a viable alternative. In AFC, sometimes called adult foster care or adult family homes, residents live full-time in a house or other small residential setting where they receive assistance with activities of daily living, personal care, and help with medications and other health care tasks, in collaboration with health care professionals.
More than 40 years ago, Oregon and Washington were the first states to establish AFCs as an option for both private pay residents and those receiving public funds. And while most states have subsequently added AFC to their array of long-term residential care options, many have had difficulty recruiting providers and consumers. This report, written for consumers, advocates, and state policy staff, summarizes some of the key features of AFC as well as ideas for expanding its availability.