High-Acuity Care Adult Family Home Placement
When your loved one has been turned away because they're "too complex" or "too medical," we can help. Seattle Assisted Living Network specializes in placing high-acuity patients in adult family homes equipped for complex care.
We Place the Patients Others Can't
High-acuity patients face a frustrating reality: most adult family homes, assisted living facilities, and even some nursing homes refuse to accept them. According to Washington State DSHS, adult family homes have varying levels of care capability, and only a subset are equipped for complex medical needs.
We've built our network specifically around high-acuity capable homes — adult family homes that have invested in equipment, training, and skilled nursing relationships to accept medically complex patients. Our specialty is finding placements for patients who have been rejected elsewhere.
High-Acuity Conditions We Place
- Ventilator-dependent patients — Mechanical ventilation with Private Duty Nursing support
- Tracheostomy care — Trach management, suctioning, and airway monitoring
- Dialysis patients — Hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis coordination
- Bariatric patients — Specialized equipment and trained staff for larger patients
- Complex wound care — Stage 3/4 pressure injuries, surgical wounds, wound VAC therapy
- Feeding tubes — G-tube, J-tube, and PEG tube management
- Multiple comorbidities — Patients with several concurrent medical conditions
- Post-surgical care — Recovery from major surgery requiring skilled nursing
What Makes an Adult Family Home "High-Acuity Capable"?
Private Duty Nursing
Contracts with nursing agencies providing RN or LPN coverage for patients requiring skilled nursing care beyond standard AFH capabilities.
RN-Operated Homes
Some AFHs are owned and operated by Registered Nurses, bringing clinical expertise directly to the care environment.
Medical Equipment
Investment in hospital beds, lifts, monitoring equipment, respiratory supplies, and other medical equipment.
Clinical Protocols
Written protocols for complex care situations, medication management, and emergency response.
Emergency Preparedness
Backup power, emergency supplies, established EMS relationships, and staff trained in emergency response.
Provider Networks
Relationships with specialists, hospitals, and medical suppliers to support complex patient needs.
High-Acuity Care Costs in Seattle-Area Adult Family Homes
High-acuity care represents the most intensive level of adult family home care. Costs reflect specialized equipment, enhanced staffing, and often Private Duty Nursing coverage. The Genworth Cost of Care Survey provides baseline data, though high-acuity care typically exceeds standard rates.
Typical high-acuity care costs in Seattle-area adult family homes:
- Complex medical needs (no PDN): $8,000 - $14,000/month
- High-acuity with skilled nursing: $12,000 - $22,000/month
- Ventilator/complex respiratory: $18,000 - $35,000/month
- Maximum acuity with 24/7 nursing: $25,000 - $45,000+/month
Payment Options
- Medicaid with PDN — Washington Medicaid may cover AFH + Private Duty Nursing for eligible high-acuity patients
- Private Pay — Many high-acuity placements involve private payment
- Long-Term Care Insurance — Check policy for skilled nursing and medical equipment coverage
- Veterans Benefits — VA benefits may help with high-acuity care costs
- Workers' Compensation — For work-related injuries requiring ongoing care
Our High-Acuity Placement Process
1. Comprehensive Medical Review
We review all diagnoses, equipment needs, medication lists, skilled nursing requirements, and physician orders to fully understand the care picture.
2. Capability Matching
We identify homes with verified capabilities for your loved one's specific needs — not homes that "might" be able to handle it, but homes that demonstrably can.
3. PDN Coordination
When Private Duty Nursing is needed, we help coordinate nursing agency involvement, coverage hours, and integration with the AFH care team.
4. Complex Discharge Planning
We work with hospital discharge planners, case managers, and medical providers to ensure smooth transitions for medically complex patients.
Frequently Asked Questions: High-Acuity Care Placement
Why have other facilities refused my loved one?
Most facilities aren't equipped or staffed for high-acuity patients. They lack specialized equipment, trained staff, or nursing relationships. We work exclusively with homes that have invested in high-acuity capabilities.
Is adult family home care safe for complex medical patients?
Yes, when the home has appropriate capabilities. Our network includes homes with Private Duty Nursing, RN operators, medical equipment, and emergency protocols specifically for high-acuity patients.
What is Private Duty Nursing and when is it needed?
PDN provides dedicated skilled nursing (RN or LPN) for individual patients. It's required for ventilator care, complex wound care, and other needs exceeding standard AFH capabilities. PDN can be covered by Medicaid for eligible patients.
Can Medicaid cover high-acuity AFH care?
Washington Medicaid can cover both AFH room and board (COPES) and Private Duty Nursing hours for eligible high-acuity patients. Coverage depends on medical necessity and financial eligibility.
How do you verify homes can handle high-acuity patients?
We verify equipment, staff training, nursing contracts, emergency protocols, and track records with similar patients. We don't recommend homes based on claims — we verify capabilities.
How quickly can you place a high-acuity patient?
Complex placements require careful matching but we work urgently on hospital discharges. We typically identify appropriate options within 48-72 hours, sometimes faster for well-documented cases.
High-Acuity Care by Location
- High-Acuity Care in Seattle
- High-Acuity Care in Bellevue
- High-Acuity Care in Kirkland
- High-Acuity Care in Redmond
- High-Acuity Care in Everett
- High-Acuity Care in Lynnwood
High-Acuity Care by Specialty
Find High-Acuity Care Placement
We specialize in the patients everyone else says no to. Let us find an adult family home with the capabilities your loved one needs.
Call us: (206) 555-0123