Domiciliary Care Program

Allegheny County Department of Human Services Area Agency on Aging (AAA) is now recruiting both home providers and residents for its Domiciliary Care (Dom Care) Program. Dom Care is a foster care program that allows caring individuals to receive a monthly payment in return for providing a safe home to older adults, or younger adults with special needs.

Dom Care providers offer room and board along with supervision with self-help skills, such as personal hygiene and grooming, and three nutritious meals a day. They also provide housekeeping and laundry services to their residents. If the resident takes medications, the home provider makes sure that he or she gets the correct dosage at the right times. Providers are permitted up to three Dom Care residents in their home at one time.

To become a Dom Care provider an approval and certification process must be completed. It includes home inspections by both a care manager and the Allegheny County Health Department. Providers are also required to have certification in First Aid and CPR. Additionally, they must present personal and financial references, submit to a police record search and obtain a medical clearance from a physician. Care managers are available to help applicants through the process.

Anyone interested in becoming a resident in a Dom Care home can inquire on their own or they can be referred by someone else - including family members, health care professionals or agencies that serve people with disabilities.

In return for the room, board and personalized care they receive, Dom Care residents pay a monthly set fee. Those who are on a limited income, such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI), may be eligible for a financial supplement to assist with the payment and to assure that they have personal spending money.

The benefits of being a Dom Care provider include companionship, support from professional staff, and a monthly payment for the services they give. But most importantly, it is a feeling of satisfaction and well-being for being able to share a warm and caring home.

To learn more about the Dom Care Program, to make a referral for a consumer or to find out how to become a provider, call the Allegheny County Department of Human Services Dom Care Program at 412-350-5105 or visit: http://www.alleghenycounty.us/dhs/adultfoster.aspx

Thank you to Jean Driscoll the Care Manager of the Dom Care Program for providing this information.

For Dom Care flyers to post in your library please email watsonc@einetwork.net.