Alabama looking for foster homes for elderly adults escaping mistreatment
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Did you know you can adopt a grandma?
The Alabama Department of Human Resources is seeking foster homes for adults so members of this vulnerable population can get the protection and care they need.
Adult foster care means at-risk elderly and disabled adults can stay in homes instead of institutional settings when relocation is necessary to keep them safe.
More than 600 vulnerable adults in Alabama are placed somewhere other than their own homes because of a high risk for abuse, neglect or exploitation. Many require the services of facilities like nursing homes, but some are better suited for homes within their communities.
That’s why DHR is hoping to recruit at least one adult foster home in each of Alabama’s 67 counties. Currently, there are 21 foster homes available for adults in the state.
“Having more adult foster homes will promote greater independence and a better quality of life for vulnerable adults who require minimal care,” said Alabama DHR Commissioner Nancy Buckner in a statement. “We encourage Alabamians with space in their homes to give adult foster care a try and experience the life-changing rewards firsthand.”
Adults in the program can safely live in a home environment but may need help or supervision with daily activities like cooking or cleaning. Most have been victimized by family members or caregivers in the past.
Valinda Young, an adult foster care provider in Enterprise, said watching the growth of the adults in her care has been the highlight of her two years in the program.
“Since the ladies arrived in my home, they all have shown dramatic improvement,” Young said. “All had been very much at risk for abuse and neglect before, but they do not have to worry about that anymore. We all work together and support each other like one big family.”
Nearly 18% of Alabamians are 65 or older, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The elderly population has continued to expand in recent years, running parallel to increasing reports of adult abuse, neglect and exploitation.
DHR’s Adult Protective Services Division received 12,033 reports statewide in fiscal year 2022, an increase of nearly 115% in the past 10 years.
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If you’re interested in joining the adult foster care provider ranks, you can contact your local DHR office.
