IAGB Sportlight – Two Organizations Devoted to Elder Care
As IAGB is gearing up for its mega event ‘New England Senior Expo 2023’, we take pride in the fact that many local organizations devoted to the cause of elderly care are actively supporting us. It is our effort to bring together the seniors, their caregivers, and the service providers under one roof for seamless exchange of information regarding health, nutrition, home care, senior living, rehabilitation, insurance, and related legal aspects.
Among the many organizations joining hands with IAGB are Evergreen Adult Day Health Center and SAHAJ Adult Foster Care agency.
Evergreen is a team of trained professionals led by Ms. Rachana Shah and they have been providing services to over 50 adults since 2018. Personal experience of dealing with the requirements of elderly relatives made Rachana and Gautam Shah realize how widespread the need was. That realization motivated them to start a business providing compassionate, loving care rooted in dignity, reverence, and respect for life to its program participants. They are committed to enriching the lives of elders, disabled adults, their families, caregivers, and the community through specialized adult day services, respite care, education, and support. Their goal at Evergreen Adult Day Health Program is to create a respectful and fun-filled environment for seniors needing physical or psychological assistance while promoting community belonging.
Most such values are ingrained in Indian family system, however it always helps when the State also takes leadership in providing quality life to the seniors and persons with disabilities. It also helps lessen the burden on the care-givers. The Adult Foster Care is a state-funded program that supports the clients / members through a provider agency to remain in a home and in the community with a qualified and approved caregiver.
SAHAJ AFC is such a provider agency, albeit with a distinction of being led by a medical doctor. In fact, they are the first agency of this kind in the state of Massachusetts. Dr. Sachin Patel has extensive experience in providing primary care and now the State has launched a pilot study with him to examine the merits of a doctor supervised AFC program. Usually this program offers nursing oversight.
The Adult Foster Care (AFC) program consists of a member in need of care, a qualified live-in caregiver who receives a tax-free stipend, and a qualified setting. The program offers case-management support to keep members in their homes or in communities of their choosing. AFC providers take a multidisciplinary team approach that includes the AFC member, the caregiver, the medical supervisor, the case manager, the primary care provider, and anyone of the member’s choosing. The team comes together to carefully develop a plan of care around the member’s medical, physical, emotional, spiritual, and social needs. SAHAJ AFC is committed to offering quality services to its members.
We are sure both these organizations will work as great resources for the seniors and the care-givers within our community. They will be available during the IAGB Senior Expo to answer any and all of your questions. Please join us on May 7, 2023 for this informative and useful event!