Residential Living

Residential Living Services

In our Residential Services program, we directly provide or assist the people to access all services that he or she may require. We are responsible for everything from basic room and board through all activities of daily living, including medical and dental care, hygiene, safety, housekeeping, laundry, nutrition, cooking, shopping, money management, community skills and recreation. The people we serve range from those who are very independent and require little assistance from us, to those who have profound challenges and require total care.

Host Homes
A family, a couple or an individual takes one or two people into their own home and provides all needed services and supports. This arrangement is the most common type of residential setting.

The level of support and the amount of supervision offered by the Providers depend upon the person’s needs. Some of the people we serve are quite independent in many areas but others need to have a Provider close by due to occasional medical or behavioral issues. Others are less independent and/or have very serious medical and/or behavioral challenges, and require constant attention.

The Host Home Provider is responsible for providing all of the services and supports the consumer needs, with guidance and assistance from Carmel’s supervisory staff. Because most Host Home Providers do not have another job outside the home, they are able to provide a very high level of attention and care. The turnover rate for Providers is much lower than for hourly staff, (some of our Providers have been with us for many years) so those served benefit by having a stable living environment.

Some family members are concerned that if their son or daughter moves into a Host Home, the Provider will replace them as family in their child’s eyes. Actually, the opposite tends to be true: the Providers often become members of the extended family, with everyone sharing birthdays and holidays. The relationship between the parents and son or daughter is enhanced.

Carmel thoroughly screens all Host Home Providers. In addition, we run similar background checks (criminal history and driving records) on every member of the household who is 18 or older.

We require the same orientation and training for Host Home Providers as we do for all staff. Our Case Managers make frequent visits to the home during the first few weeks of the placement, to make sure that everything is going well. There after Case Managers visit at least monthly and more often if necessary to provide ongoing training and support.

Independent Living
Many serviced individuals have good skills in most activities of daily living and do not require the availability of on-site assistance, as in a Host Home, but they do need some supports and reminders on a regular basis. They live in independent settings called Personal Care Alternatives (PCA), either living alone or with one or two housemates of their choosing.

Staff visits to provide supports according to a schedule based on need. Some are seen twice a day for several hours, while other more independent people are seen a few times a week. We try to help those served to be as independent as they can be, and to perform as many tasks as they can on their own. However, our staff is available on a 24-hour basis to lend a hand as needed.

With assistance from our staff, the people we serve plan a menu for the week, go grocery shopping and cook their own meals. There is usually a weekly schedule for cleaning, laundry and other housekeeping chores; staff train, assist or remind them to complete these tasks. Staff also assists with medications, making and attending medical and dental appointments, taking care of their money, making purchases, and with getting out into the community for recreation and socialization.

Some families have purchased condominiums or mobile homes for their family member to live in; this way, the person truly has a home of his/her own, and will not have to move if rents increase beyond what is affordable. Carmel enters into a long-term lease with the family, generally at a rate comparable to market rents, which will not increase but cover the cost of purchasing the home.

We also have a few settings with live-in or around-the-clock staff. The people in these homes generally have behavioral or medical challenges which are so intense they are not appropriate for a Host Home.

Group Homes
Carmel currently does not have any group homes (defined as four or more service recipients living together). However, we are considering this option for the future because many of those we serve are getting older and require more physical and medical care, but do not want to live in a nursing home.