Attleboro Couple Open Hearts and Home to Special Needs Adult

When Jean and Dan Thurber of Mansfield attended an information session on becoming foster parents, their daughter Kristen and her husband Robert Beaudry tagged along. The Beaudrys were interested in fostering, but it wasn’t until they read about fostering an adult with special needs, that they became involved with the Arc of Northern Bristol County's Adult Foster Care program in Attleboro.

 The Arc's AFC program provides instruction and support for families willing to open their hearts and homes to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

AFC offers Massachusetts residents, who are eligible for MassHealth and meet the state’s eligibility criteria, an opportunity for a family-centered living experience. Program participants are aging and/or have a disability and require additional assistance with daily activities. 

AFC also offers participants an opportunity to continue to live with their families and/or to live with an approved family. The goal is to help each participant to receive the assistance they need with personal care and activities of daily living so they can remain as independent as possible.

Making the Match

Laney, an AFC candidate, was placed with the Beaudrys only after a process of interviews, spending time together and making the joint decision confirming a good match. All parties involved, including Laney, her parents/guardians, the Beaudrys and The Arc representative had to agree before the placement was made.

Like many other people who carpool, Kristen and Laney commute home from their day together stopping along the way for their coffees. Laney explains that at her program she works on her writing skills and does volunteer work. She helps out with Meals on Wheels and makes dog treats for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Laney’s busy day also includes her participation in a cooking program. If you saw the two out shopping for clothes and shoes or at home experimenting with makeup and nail polish you might guess that they were sisters. Laney’s other at home activities include going to the library, selecting books and being read to. She has many favorite books which she enjoys hearing often. She likes card games, especially UNO and games where she can match letters with animals and objects. She loves to do puzzles.

A big Boston Red Sox fan, Laney knows each player by name but is especially fond of Josh Beckett and Dave Ortiz. Her favorite New England Patriot player is quarterback Tom Brady. 

Family Everywhere

“Laney spends weekends with her own parents but she’s our family now, too," Kristen Beaudry said. "She’s a lovable person and all of our relatives have learned the best ways to interact with Laney. They are all so accepting of her."

In fact, the Beaudrys’ experience has inspired Kristen’s parents to become alternate caregivers for Laney and seek out a full-time participant for their home. It is important for potential caregivers to know that in time of a caregiver’s illness, an emergency, a vacation or even respite time participants can be placed in an alternative placement for a period of time. “Having Laney stay with my parents during those times is great because she is still with family,” Beaudry said.

Finding Great Caregivers

Finding great caregivers is a huge priority for the Arc's AFC Coordinator Rebecca Barry, who presented at the Self-Sufficiency Coalition in Attleboro earlier this month. The purpose of the presentation was to speak with members of the Coalition about recruiting new caregivers for the AFC program.

The agency is always seeking compassionate and caring people to serve as caregivers. Barry manages a caseload of adult foster care participants. “Families participating in the AFC program have an opportunity to a make a difference in someone’s life while benefiting themselves from the relationship," she said.

Parents of adults with disabilities sometimes look for a new environment for their sons and daughters to enhance their growth and potential, according to Barry. “The parents themselves grow older and in some cases have difficulty caring for an adult who needs daily assistance," Barry said. "Similarly, this program is also for families who would like to keep their adult son or daughter at home rather than look into a residential placement elsewhere. 

"An aging parent with physical needs and or intellectual ones may also be a good candidate for AFC," Barry added. "A family environment may be better than a nursing facility for this individual.”

Although no special education background or prerequisite training is necessary in order to become an adult foster care provider, the Beaudrys had a great deal of combined experience working with special needs individuals in a variety of settings. Kristen Beaudry works with students with developmental disabilities at North Attleboro High School.

Compassion and Willingness

Barry stated that although the Beaudrys are certainly well qualified, an ideal caregiver only needs to have compassion for others and be willing to open their homes and lives to a person who needs daily assistance.  They are responsible for ensuring a participant’s human rights, safe guarding their well-being, providing daily assistance with skills, assisting as needed with medical and other appointments, providing support to ensure community access, participating in activities, and fostering positive relationships for the AFC participant.

“Our participants require different levels of support, supervision and assistance in activities of daily living,” Barry said. “Therefore potential caregivers are screened carefully and provided with the appropriate education and training before any placements are made."

A caregiver's home environment must also meet certain standards. It must be in good repair, have a fire extinguisher and smoke and carbon detectors. The AFC program has been rewarding to the Beaudrys in many ways. 

“Laney has taught me so much about patience, understanding and tolerance of others. I only hope I can teach her half of what she has taught me,” said Kristen Beaudry.

Anyone who is interested in becoming a primary or alternate caregiver for adult foster care should contact The Arc of NBC at 508-226-1445. The agency serves all of Bristol County.