How to Start an Assisted In-Home Living Care Facility

Social services professionals have come to the conclusion that whenever possible, the least invasive frameworks possible are the most desirable for people who are dependent on some measure of outside physical assistance. Assisted in-home living care facilities fulfill this function for many individuals. Professionals are on-site to make sure that the individuals get the care that they need, yet they are free to manage much of their lives independently as well. Establishing an assisted in-home care living facility is a service to the community as well as to the individuals that it serves.

Things You'll Need

• Internet access

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Instructions

Establishing an Assisted Living Facility

• 1

  Research the laws and regulations which are applicable to opening and operating an assisted in-home living care facility in the area.

  Assisted in-home living care facilities are regulated by the local state's Department of Social Services (sometimes called the "State Department of Human Services"). Each individual state authority's website will have a list of the regulations relevant to opening and operating an assisted in-home living care facility in that state. Knowing these regulations should be the first step in establishing an assisted in-home facility.

• 2

  Research the community facilities that are already available. Lists of licensed assisted in-home living care facilities are available (see references) state by state. Speak to the directors of these centers. Some issues to investigate might be:
  *What facilities are already operating in the community?
  *What population is already serviced in the community through the existing facilities? Is there a population that is under-serviced? (Some facilities serve people needing short-term care, for instance, those who are recovering from an operation but not those needing long-term care, such as the elderly.)
  *What facilities are available for an individual who can no longer function in an assisted in-home living facility and needs to be moved to long-term nursing care?

• 3

  Investigate start-up grants which are available for establishing an assisted in-home living care facility (see references).

• 4

  Create a budget which lists expected income (from client's insurance and government assistance) and expected expenditures (facility rent, utilities, equipment, staffing). Organize the facility's budget in a way that takes all of these items into account.

• 5

  Make a chart which lists what each insurance company or relevant government authority will pay per person for assisted in-home living care. Each insurance company will have its own regulations and caps as will Medicaid and Medicare. This information can be found on each insurance company's website as well as the websites for Medicaid and Medicare.

• 6

  Review the relevant laws and regulations through the state's Department of Social Services/Human Resources to get an overview of what staffing requirements are for an assisted in-home living facility. Medical, therapeutic, social services and administrative personnel will be needed in addition to staff members who will perform the physical care.