A Medical Foster Home (MFH) is an alternative to a nursing home.  It allows Veterans who are no longer able to safely live independently and wants a smaller, calmer environment than a nursing home. MFH is a type of Community Residential Care (CRC) home chosen by Veterans with serious chronic disabling conditions that meet nursing home level of care, require care coordination, enhanced access to VA services, but prefer a non-institutional setting for their longterm care.

MFH strives for the Veteran’s independence while balancing their needed safety and support. This Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) MFH program brings together a person who is willing to open their home and serve in the role of a strong family caregiver, the VA MFH Coordinator who manages the program, and a VA interdisciplinary home care team that provides care in the MFH to the Veteran and training to the MFH caregiver. The MFH is matched with the Veteran’s physical, social, and emotional needs, including supervision and protection. The MFH coordinator finds a caregiver in the community who is willing to take a Veteran into their home and provide 24-hour supervision as well as needed personal assistance.

VA provides comprehensive primary care through the interdisciplinary home care team, and the Veteran pays the caregiver. The expectation is that this is a long-term commitment, where the Veteran may live for a few years, often for the remainder of his or her life. The Veteran pays the caregiver approximately $1800 to $3000 per month (average is about $2,300) depending upon the cost for similar services in a particular geographic area, the Veteran care needs and financial situation. Presently there are over 1,000 enrolled MFH Veterans with approximately 700 MFH caregivers in 42 states. The national average Veteran length-of stay is 336 days, and frequently for the remainder of the Veteran’s life, with VA support.