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Adult Foster Homes

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Encyclopedia of Gerontology and Population Aging

Synonyms

Adult day care centers; Assisted living facilities; Older adults’ homes; Residential long-term care facilities

Definition

Adult foster homes (AFH) are a type of residential long-term care available throughout the United States. An AFH is a private residence where the owner or a paid caregiver lives with a small number of residents, usually fewer than six, who receive personal care, social/recreational activities, and health oversight.

Overview

Many of these homes serve older adults with physical disabilities, including those with cognitive impairment. Most states (38) license AFHs (Carder et al. 2015), though the definition, capacity, types of services, and staffing requirements vary. AFHs might be purpose-built, but more often are converted single-family residences (Folkemer et al. 1996; Mollica et al. 2008).

Examples of Application

AFH in Oregon

Some states limit AFH services to meals, social activities, and assistance with basic needs like laundry and housekeeping. Others...

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Correspondence to Cari Levy .

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Levy, C., Carder, P., Haverhals, L. (2019). Adult Foster Homes. In: Gu, D., Dupre, M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Gerontology and Population Aging. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-69892-2_295-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-69892-2_295-1

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