ABSTRACT

Small residential care settings for older adults and people with disabilities are found throughout the United States. Those with fewer than 25 residents account for half of residential care settings. Adult foster homes (AFH) are under-studied although they provide personal and health-related services to residents, including people with Alzheimer’s disease. This qualitative study collected data from 726 AFH owners over four years. Results provide a contemporary perspective on owners’ experience of the rewards and challenges of operating a small home. These results are relevant since many residents prefer small settings, and because federal regulatory changes affect AFH policies and practices.

摘要

美国各地都有为老年人和残疾人提供的小型寄宿照料机构。居住人数少于 25 人的机构占院所机构的一半。尽管成人寄养家庭 (AFH) 为居民（包括阿尔茨海默病患者）提供个人和健康相关服务，但它们的研究还不够。这项定性研究在四年内收集了 726 位 AFH 所有者的数据。结果提供了业主对经营小型住宅的回报和挑战的体验的当代视角。这些结果是相关的，因为许多居民更喜欢小环境，并且因为联邦监管变化会影响 AFH 政策和实践。