Calling all Volunteers, Rotarians, Faith-Based Leaders, Elected Officials, and Community Members to “Adopt a Board and Care Home” in your neighborhood!!!
A what?!?! Well, did you know that there are 360 small homes in Contra Costa that help elders continue living in the community instead of skilled nursing facilities? They are home settings where caregivers work with folks who need assistance with things like showering, preparing meals, using the restroom and the other basic things we do in the course of our days. They are not medical homes – they are licensed through the Department of Social Services and provide supportive services in a home-like setting. Their licensing name/designation is Residential Care Facility for the Elderly (RCFE). They are a most beautiful alternative to placement in a skilled nursing facility.
But like you, many folks do not know that these homes exist and we want to spread the love and joy of community with them. The caregivers work every day, in many cases for minimum wage, and are the one factor determining frail elders’ quality of life and ability to continue living in the community. And we want to thank them and lift up some love for our elders living in these facilities.
So what does adoption look like? Adopting a home means you bring them joy, like during the holidays you might bring spooktakular treats or pumpkins and paint to decorate them on Halloween – or perhaps some pumpkin spices and cranberry flavored treats on Thanksgiving (or a turkey even!) and getting to know your home, you might learn residents celebrate Christmas or Hanukkah or celebrate Ramadan and feast on Eid. The more you learn, the more you can deliver joy throughout the year and let the caregivers and care recipients know they are loved and a part of our community. We will have all kinds of ideas, suggestions, and photos posted on our website as we roll this program out.
One of the most important things we did recently was deliver pulse oximeters to all 360 of these small Board and Care Homes so the caregivers can measure their residents’ oxygen levels and know if they need medical intervention. Adopting a Home can bring joy, can save lives and can also do things like enable them to vote. Next week we hope to deliver ballots to those who did not receive them.
Adopting a Home will make a difference in the lives of the people working and living in these homes – but also for you. Nothing feels quite as good as spreading joy and love in our community!