Adult Foster Care in Lowell and the Merrimack Valley
Families in Lowell and throughout the Merrimack Valley often provide daily care for a parent, adult child, relative, or friend at home. When a loved one needs hands-on assistance or regular cueing and supervision with personal care, Adult Foster Care may provide structured support through MassHealth.
Mass Care Link serves eligible families across Massachusetts, including Lowell and surrounding Merrimack Valley communities. Our team helps potential members and live-in caregivers understand program requirements, coordinate assessments, gather documents, and navigate the MassHealth authorization process.
If you care for someone at home in Lowell or a nearby community, begin with our short prequalification form or call Mass Care Link at 866-880-8889.
What Is Adult Foster Care?
Adult Foster Care is a MassHealth-funded program for eligible individuals who need daily help with at least one activity of daily living and live with a qualified caregiver. The caregiver may be an adult family member, friend, or another qualified person, depending on the relationship and applicable rules.
Qualifying care may involve bathing, dressing, eating, toileting, walking, transferring, or the cueing and supervision needed to complete a personal-care activity safely. Enrolled members also receive professional nursing and care-management oversight through an approved provider.
For a broader explanation, read our guide to Adult Foster Care in Massachusetts.
Adult Foster Care Eligibility in Lowell
Lowell residents must satisfy the same MassHealth requirements that apply throughout Massachusetts. Eligibility depends on the potential member’s MassHealth coverage, age, daily care needs, living arrangement, caregiver relationship, home setting, and MassHealth approval.
- The potential member generally must be at least 16 years old.
- The member must have qualifying MassHealth coverage.
- The member must need daily physical assistance or cueing and supervision with at least one qualifying activity of daily living.
- The member and caregiver must live together in the same qualified home.
- The caregiver must satisfy applicable qualification and documentation requirements.
A spouse or court-appointed legal guardian cannot serve as the paid caregiver. A parent may potentially serve as caregiver for an adult child who is 18 or older when all other requirements are met. Learn more in our guide explaining how to qualify for Adult Foster Care.
Serving Lowell and the Merrimack Valley
Mass Care Link works with eligible families in Lowell and nearby communities such as Dracut, Chelmsford, Tewksbury, Billerica, Tyngsborough, Westford, Dunstable, Pepperell, and other Merrimack Valley areas, subject to eligibility and service availability.
Families may already be providing substantial personal care before learning that formal support may be available. Our admissions team can review preliminary information by phone or online and explain the assessments, medical records, and caregiver documents that may be required.
How Mass Care Link Supports Merrimack Valley Families
- Reviews preliminary eligibility and MassHealth coverage requirements
- Explains caregiver qualifications and shared-home requirements
- Coordinates nursing, psychosocial, and qualified-setting assessments
- Helps identify required medical and caregiver documentation
- Submits applicable information for MassHealth review
- Provides ongoing nursing and care-management support after enrollment
Families can also review what to expect after applying for a step-by-step overview.
Caregiver Payment in Lowell
When the member and caregiver satisfy all program requirements, an approved caregiver may receive up to $1,520 per month, based on need and MassHealth approval. Payment is not automatic. The authorized amount depends on the member’s assessed needs and the MassHealth determination.
Our payment guide explains how family caregiver payments work in Massachusetts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Mass Care Link serve Lowell and the Merrimack Valley?
Yes. Mass Care Link serves eligible families in Lowell, the Merrimack Valley, and throughout Massachusetts. Enrollment remains subject to MassHealth requirements and service availability.
Does the caregiver have to live with the member?
Yes. Adult Foster Care is a live-in caregiver program. The member and caregiver must share the same qualified home setting.
Can an adult child care for a parent in Lowell?
Possibly. An adult child may qualify as caregiver when the family meets the MassHealth coverage, daily care, shared-living, caregiver, and other applicable requirements.
How can a Lowell family begin?
Contact Mass Care Link or complete the online prequalification form. Our admissions team will review preliminary information and explain the appropriate next steps.
Get Started in Lowell
If you provide daily care for a loved one at home in Lowell or elsewhere in the Merrimack Valley, Mass Care Link can help you understand whether Adult Foster Care may fit your family’s circumstances.
Call 866-880-8889, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or complete our short prequalification form.