Medical Foster Homes Provide More Independence for Aging ...

Implemented by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the Medical Foster Home (MFH) program (www.va.gov/GERIATRICS/Guide/LongTermCare/Medical_Foster_Homes.asp) provides a relatively new option to veterans looking for more independence or more personalized care than may be available at nursing homes.

Medical foster homes are private homes in which a trained caregiver provides services to a few individuals. Some, but not all, residents are veterans.

Medical foster homes are private homes in which a trained caregiver provides services to a few individuals. Some, but not all, residents are veterans.

Although most applicants are older veterans ?aging out? of community residential care homes and the VA?s Home Based Primary Care program, a small but significant portion of the MFH population includes younger veterans in need of complex medical care, according to the VA.

Questions to Ask First What do I need help with? Eat, get dressed, bathe, go to the toilet or get around the house. Do chores such as fixing meals, paying bills and shopping. Get care that requires a nurse or therapist. Check my blood pressure or blood sugar, keep track of medical visits or fill my pill box. Deal with my drug or alcohol issues. Deal with my mental health concerns. Make decisions and remember things I need to do. Do social things with family or friends.

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Alternative to Nursing Home

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A medical foster home can serve as an alternative to a nursing home. It may be appropriate for seniors who require nursing home care but prefer a non-institutional setting with fewer residents.

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In the VA program, all medical foster homes are VA-inspected and approved. They have a trained caregiver on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week who can help the senior carry out activities of daily living. The VA ensures that the caregiver is well-trained to provide VA-planned care, and VA staff can help veterans locate a caregiver and assist with making arrangements. A Caregiver Self-Assessment can help the caregiver identify his or her own needs and decide how much support he or she can offer. This information can also help the veteran reach good long-term care decisions.

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While living in a medical foster home, veterans receive comprehensive medical care in the homes through the VA?s Home Based Primary Care services.

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Cost Paid by the Veteran

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Medical foster homes are not provided or paid for by the VA. The VA estimates the cost ranges from $1,500 to $3,000 a month, depending on the resident?s income and the level of care needed. The specific cost is agreed upon ahead of time by the resident and the landlord. In comparison, monthly nursing-home fees typically cost a veteran $6,000 to $10,000 each month.

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The fee covers the veteran?s room, board and other expenses. The VA continues to provide medical care through a home-based primary care team that visits the veteran at the medical foster home.

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?Twenty-seven percent of our veterans are highly service-connected and ostensibly would be able to have VA pay for their care in a VA long-term care facility,? said Dan Goedken, Medical Foster Home national program coordinator. ?Instead they choose to use their financial resources and pay for their care at a medical foster home. That?s a pretty significant percentage, and underscores the Veteran?s choice for MFH.?

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It turns out that in-home care veterans in the MFH program have experienced improved health, according to the VA. The number of days they spend in the hospital is cut in half and the number of nursing home days is reduced by 70 to 80 percent. This also benefits the VA because total VA healthcare costs decrease by 24 percent.

Source: http://aginginplaceoptions.com/2012/08/medical-foster-homes-provide-more-independence-for-aging-veterans/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=medical-foster-homes-provide-more-independence-for-aging-veterans

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