General Resource Support in Harvard, Massachusetts

Eligible members must be 16 years of age and older. They must have MassHealth insurance. This program is funded through MassHealth.

The individual must have a medical need. They must require physical assistance or supervision with their Activities of Daily Living (eating. ambulating, dressing, toileting, personal hygiene/ bathing, etc.) as well as Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (meal preparation, managing finances, managing medications, phone usage, shopping, transportation, etc.).

There are two levels of need within the program. Once an individual enters the program, they are deemed as either Level I or Level II. The individual’s team makes that decision based on all of the medical information provided.

Anyone who is a responsible person who is 18 years of age or older can be a caregiver. The caregiver can be a family or non-family member. Note: Parents can become caregivers as long as they are not the legal guardian of their son or daughter; spouses cannot become caregivers within this program.

Caregivers will be compensated at a daily rate depending on the level of care required. These stipends are non-taxable and are not classified as income. In addition, members contribute 75% of their SSI towards room and board.

A caregiver can provide services for up to 4 people if space allows.

Yes, each caregiver is eligible for 14 days of respite (days off/ vacation days) per year. This does not carry over from one year to another.

Yes, there are daily progress notes as well as a daily caregiver log that needs to be completed. There are also quarterly fire drills, which will need to be documented.

Yes, every member and caregiver within the program has an AFC Case Manager and Registered Nurse as a part of their team. Each of them will perform monthly home visits, training, and more if necessary.

Adult Foster Care or Adult Family Care is a program for adults ages 18 and older with developmental, intellectual, physical, or mental disabilities who cannot live alone.

The program supports individuals in their own homes or their families/caregiver’s homes. Through this program, the individual will receive the services and financial support they need while living at home with their families or companions/friends. The caregiver(the person who lives with the individual) will assist the individual with ADLs and provide healthy meals, companionship, personal care assistance, and 24-hour supervision.

You may apply for Adult Family Care if you already have a caregiver in mind) for instance, a family member or friend, or if you want to be matched with a caregiver. If you are matched with a caregiver, you and your caregiver will have a chance to meet each other before approving the match.

Are you 18 and older with developmental, intellectual, physical, or mental disabilities who cannot live alone? Do you need help with one or more Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) such as:

• Bathing
• Dressing
• Eating
• Transferring and mobility, such as getting in and out of bed. – Recreation
• Housekeeping
• Laundry
• Transportation
• Toileting
• Managing Medications
• Personal safety (avoiding wandering, self-harming behaviors, etc.)

To apply for Adult Family Care, please contact Golden Days at 978-715-9967.

Golden Days’ AFC program (through MassHealth) supports your caregivers by paying them a monthly stipend for helping with personal care services. Room and board are not included in the stipend fees. If the caregiver chooses to charge for room and board, then that decision will be made between the AFC member and the caregiver. Golden Days (through MassHealth) will also pay for 2 weeks of respite for the caregiver per year.

Your caregiver will receive an annual stipend of around $9,000 for Level I care or $18,000 for Level II care, tax-free from MassHealth.

As part of the AFC program, upon entry into the program, an alternate caregiver must be identified so they can fill in for the primary caregiver when needed. The alternate caregiver will provide care in the AFC member’s home or their own home.