County providing information on in-home adult foster care

Pinal/Gila Long Term Care will be holding a series of six public forums throughout Pinal and Gila counties on becoming a manager of an adult foster care home. 

The first event will be on Sept. 14 at 6 p.m. at Casa Grande Regional Medical Center in Casa Grande, with the remainder of the forums to be announced at a later date. The goal is to increase the types of community-based settings in the area by providing alternatives to institutionalized health care.
 
The informational series will provide community members with information about how they can become a manager of an adult foster care home. Adult foster homes are residential settings that provide room, board and adult foster care services for up to four adults. Some of the benefits in creating an adult foster care home include: caring for a family member in an environment that is comfortable and safe for them, and being able to generate income in a tough economy.
 
“Adult foster care homes are already prevalent in communities like ours. We are excited about creating an alternative option for elderly and disabled residents who prefer to live outside of an institutional setting,” said Donna Beedle, Director of Pinal/Gila Long Term Care.
 
A manager/sponsor lives with the residents and integrates those who are receiving adult foster care into their family. Adult foster care homes are similar to assisted living centers in that they provide three different levels of care:

• Supervisory – general supervision including daily awareness of resident functioning and continuing needs, the ability to intervene in a crisis and provide assistance in the self-administration of prescribed medications.
• Personal – assistance with activities of daily living that can be performed by people without professional skills or professional training and includes the coordination of intermittent nursing services and the administration of medications and treatments by a nurse who is licensed.
• Directed – programs and services including personal care services, provided to people who are incapable of recognizing danger, summoning assistance, expressing needs and making basic care decisions.

Staff from Arizona Department of Health Services, Pinal County’s Office of Licensing Services and Building Safety Department will also be in attendance to answer questions about how to establish or operate an adult foster care home. For more information, go to  http://pinalcountyaz.gov/Departments/LongTermCare/Pages/Home.aspx.
 
Pinal County’s website features a host of information pertaining to county services, emergency management, tourism, public health and much more.  Explore www.pinalcountyaz.gov and discover Pinal County’s wide open opportunity.

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