Fairfax County’s CARES program places seniors with certified host families and seeks more providers

Fairfax County’s Community Adult Residences with Empowering Support (CARES) Program places older adults and adults with disabilities into certified host-family homes that provide daily assistance, county officials said on the public-affairs program Mature Living.

“The CARES Program is really unique,” said Jonathan Bell, Adult Services Supervisor with the Adult and Aging Division in the Department of Family Services. Bell described CARES as a community-based alternative to what the state calls adult foster care, offering a home-like setting for people who need help with meal preparation, transportation, medication reminders and some personal care while remaining in the community.

County officials and providers said the program is aimed at people who otherwise might live in assisted-living facilities but want a quieter, more individualized setting. “We’re looking for… community-based options for older adults, adults with disabilities, to receive the care that they need,” Bell said.

A long-term provider on the program, Rubina Jawaid, described CARES as “family helping family,” saying providers open their homes to residents and offer companionship, supervision and basic daily supports. Mary Lee, the CARES program coordinator, said state regulation and Fairfax County policy require certified providers to provide a private room and bathroom, meals and nutrition, help with daily activities (including bathing and laundry as needed), transportation to medical appointments and medication reminders. Providers must also participate in ongoing training the county supplies, Lee said.

Bell said the program has grown in recent years “to more than 10 provider homes” across Fairfax County, from Herndon to Alexandria, and that the county is recruiting more host families to meet demand.

The episode included a resident’s testimony about a personal crisis resolved through CARES. The resident said she had been homeless and contemplated suicide before a provider intervened, brought her into a home and provided emotional and practical support. The resident later credited her provider with preventing further exploitation after she fell victim to a scam.

County staff stressed that CARES is supported by program coordination and backup resources so providers are not expected to provide around-the-clock care without respite. “There’s not an expectation that they are providing care 24/7,” Bell said, noting coordinators and backup supports are available.

For those interested in referrals or becoming a provider, the program’s intake is the Fairfax County Aging, Disability and Caregiver Resources line at (703) 324-7948 and the Fairfax CARES webpage is the county’s online entry point, officials said.

The Mature Living host, Fran Guastadisegni, closed the segment after Bell, Lee and Jawaid discussed provider responsibilities, certification steps and the personal rewards of serving in the program.