Similar to foster care, adult seniors can take part in Vermont’s program called Adult Family Care. This program allows residents to live in pre-screened homes of families in the community. The family then gets paid between $80 and $160 a day by the state based on the residents in their home. The family then cares for the residents and helps them with their daily needs.

Although Medicaid is still funding this program, it costs the state less per resident when they live in a family’s home rather than a facility. Only 136 residents are currently taking part in the Adult Family Care program which is only a small portion of all Medicaid recipients, but they are hopeful for the program to grow.

The residents partaking in the program say the transition to a stranger’s home can be strange, but it feels much more like they’re living on their own rather than being cared for at a facility. Some have even become healthier since moving into these homes.

The other side of the program, however, is that there is less regulation in these homes than there would be at a facility. The homes to have to pass an inspection but otherwise, do not need to be licensed. In the past two years, they have not seen any reports of abuse.