Adult Family Care of the North Shore Celebrates 25 Years of Community-Based Care
AFCNS marks milestone with a new name, a client appreciation celebration and a look back at 25 years of helping individuals receive care in a home setting
Adult Family Care of the North Shore is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, marking a quarter century of helping adults who need assistance with daily activities receive care, support and connection.
The milestone comes at an important moment for the organization. Formerly known as Adult Foster Care of the North Shore, the organization recently changed its name to Adult Family Care of the North Shore, reflecting both the evolution of the program and the role that families play in providing care.
When the organization began in 2001, Massachusetts adult foster care looked different than it does today. At the time, close relatives could not serve as paid caregivers through the program. Adult Foster Care of the North Shore worked to identify and support welcoming homes for adults who were unable to independently perform certain activities of daily living and needed ongoing assistance.
Over the years, the program evolved, and so did the ways families could participate in caring for their loved ones. What has remained consistent is the organization's commitment to helping people receive the support they need in a home and community setting.
For some AFCNS clients, those relationships span decades. Jose has been part of a stable AFCNS home since 2004, while Nicole has been with the program since 2008. Their stories are part of a much larger 25-year history built on one individual, caregiver and family at a time.
AFCNS's own history also reflects how much has changed since 2001. In the organization's early years, newspaper classified advertisements were an important way to reach prospective caregivers and families. Over time, those efforts expanded to television, radio and eventually digital outreach. While the way AFCNS connects with the community has changed considerably, its purpose has remained centered on helping people live safely and meaningfully in a home environment.
From the AFCNS Archives
Listen: AFCNS Radio Advertisement, 2018
Hear how AFCNS was reaching caregivers and families nearly a decade ago.
This year, AFCNS is bringing that history together with its future. The transition from Adult Foster Care of the North Shore to Adult Family Care of the North Shore is intended to better reflect the program as it exists today. While the name is changing, AFCNS remains the same organization, with the same team, services, caregiver resources and commitment to the people and families it serves.
As part of the anniversary celebration, AFCNS also hosted an event on August 5th at Blue Ocean Event Center in Salisbury, MA, bringing together clients, caregivers, families and members of the AFCNS team to recognize the people who have shaped the organization over the past 25 years.
For AFCNS, the 25th anniversary is both an opportunity to recognize how far the organization and the Adult Family Care program have come and a chance to look ahead.
Twenty-five years after opening its doors, the organization's work continues to be rooted in a simple idea: people who need assistance with everyday activities deserve the opportunity to receive that support in a home environment, surrounded by care, dignity and connection.
About Adult Family Care of the North Shore
Founded in 2001, Adult Family Care of the North Shore (AFCNS) supports eligible adults who need assistance with activities of daily living and the caregivers who provide that support in a home setting. Serving communities throughout the North Shore and surrounding areas, AFCNS provides guidance, resources and ongoing support to help individuals and caregivers successfully participate in the Adult Family Care program.
