Site Content
Residential Care Homes
Residential Care Homes
Whether they are called adult family homes, personal care homes, or board and care homes, Residential Care Homes provide care in a more home-like setting with assistance for medications and other activities of daily life. They can provide an excellent setting for those who do not want to live in a larger community but still require a level of assistance similar to that offered by an assisted living facility or a nursing home.
Tucked into regular neighborhoods, residential care homes provide non-medical custodial care for elderly adults. Typically in a single family residence, residential care homes usually serve between two and ten patients, depending on specific state laws. They offer a home-like setting for people who need assisted living but might be intimidated by larger communities. Also called board and care homes, adult family homes, and residential care facilities for the elderly, this is a live-in housing and care option for people who do not have skilled medical needs, such as a feeding tube or daily injections.
Generally, a residential care home provides the following:
A room, either private or shared
Meals
Varying levels of assistance with daily living activities, such as toileting, bathing, and even money and health care management
Custodial care, such as laundry, housekeeping, and transportation to doctor appointments
Reminders to take medications or actual medication administering.
Adult family homes are wonderful for individuals who are looking for a smaller-home-like setting. They'll eat home-cooked meals in the kitchen. The home may have a front porch or back porch and a garden. It will offer lots of one-on-one tender loving care. Due to the small environment, most seniors needs are met quickly and empathetically.
This atmosphere is fostered by a high staff-to-patient ratio, which is typically higher than the same ratio in a nursing home or assisted living community. Most often there is one caregiver for every three or four residents. "If my mom is in a nursing home and she can't walk under her own steam, it could take 30 to 45 minutes to have someone take care of her after she pushes the call button," says Jerry Graham, a Senior Living Advisor for A Place for Mom.
For a senior citizen who is very active, though, a residential care home may not offer enough stimulation. A larger assisted living community has a wider array of social activities, such as on-site aerobics or outings to near-by events. A residential care home is a better fit for a frailer adult who can benefit from more individual care.
Just as every house on a block is different, residential care homes are not all styled the same. Adult family homes are run by all kinds of individuals, from registered nurses to recent immigrants. Sometimes the homeowner lives in the facility, while others are run like a business with shifts of caregivers. Because residential care homes vary so greatly, it's vital to assess the needs of the future resident, deciding if they need around-the-clock staff attention, for example. It's also important to visit several homes, comparing and contrasting to find the best fit. That is where Quality Senior Placement Specialists can help. We have screened hundreds of homes and have approved ones that meet our strict expectations. We have done the hard work of touring and screening to save you time during this transition.
The price tag for a living in a residential care community is often half the cost of nursing home care, and in some states, it is even more affordable than assisted living community care. Although prices vary vastly, care usually costs $2500 to $4500 per month. Some charge $5000 to $6000 per month; these are typically homes that specialize in dementia care.
Some long-term care insurance policies pay for residential care home costs.
This type of care home is a good fit for many elderly adults. Many of them can provide care until the end of a life, and helps residents feel like they are living in their own homes..