An Adult Care Home is an assisted living residence which provides 24 hour supervision. Services that are provided include personal and health care assistance (bathing, dressing, grooming), medication administration, meal preparation, transportation and activities, as well as housekeeping and laundry.

In order to be admitted to an Adult Care Home a person must be a least 18 years of age and must have a medical form (FL-2) completed by their physician showing their diagnoses, medications and the type of assistance that they require.

Financial assistance is available to help pay for Adult Care Homes through the Department of Social Services. Clients may apply for State County Special Assistance and Medicaid to cover their cost of care. In Durham, applications for this program are made at our Duke Street office with the Long Term Medicaid Unit. If a person is found eligible for State County Special Assistance, they would receive a supplemental check to pay for the cost of care and are allowed to keep $66.00 of their income for personal needs.

If a client’s income exceeds the income limit or if they have financial resources over $2000, they are considered private pay and each home has a private rate that they have established.

Residents living at this level of care require less medical care than those residing in a nursing home. Adult Care Homes are not required to have a nurse on duty in the home. 

All Adult Care Homes are licensed by the Division of Facility Services in Raleigh, NC. The local Department of Social Services is responsible for the monitoring of care in the homes. Monthly unannounced visits are made to each home to review care being provided to the residents. The Department of Social Services will also evaluate concerns and allegations that a person may have regarding care at a facility.

If problem areas are found, a Corrective Action will be initiated and followed up by the Department of Social Services. Each home has an assigned social worker known as an Adult Home Specialist that performs these functions.

Other programs that have oversight responsibilities for Adult Care Homes are the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program and the Adult Care Home Community Advisory Committee. These programs work together to maintain the intent of the Resident’s Bill of Rights, to promote community involvement with Adult Care Homes, to help Adult Care Home residents and providers resolve concerns, and to educate the public about the long-term care system. The Adult Care Home Advisory Committee is comprised of volunteer members appointed by the Durham County Board of Commissioners. They visit each Family Care Home at least once a year and Adult Care Homes at least quarterly. They file visit reports that are included on this website.

There are two types of homes licenses as Adult Care Homes:

These homes can also have a special wing licensed as a Special Care Unit to address the needs of persons with dementia. These are locked wards to prevent persons classified as wanderers from leaving the premises.