Adult Family Homes: A Commentary On Applying The Building Codes In WA State

0Adult Family Homes (AFH) are an important part of care-giving for elderly persons at specific times in their lives. We know that no one chooses to move from their own home into a care facility. When they do, they deserve the safest and most caring environment they can possibly receive. It is very important for the local code officials to do everything they can to serve those specific needs. We hope the use of this handbook as your field guide will provide the best practices to meet the needs of the AFH resident.

John P Neff, CBO, is a retired Building Official, Fire Marshal and Capital Projects Manager with 32+ years of experience in local government performing building code administration. John is also a former carpenter; former City Council Member; former Board Member of the Washington Association of Building Officials, International Conference of Building Officials/International Code Council and International Accreditation Service; former member and Chair of the WA State Building Code Council and member of the World Organization of Building Officials. John has long been active in code development and teaching others the various codes and how to best administer them for the benefit of the public. Much more importantly than any of the above, however, is that John has always had a very warm spot in his heart for the elderly. From the early days of visiting with the "old guys" at the Chelan, WA Post Office when he and his Grandpa Wooton would go for the mail; to not getting his paper route collecting done, because he talked too long with the retired folks; to working in a nursing home, to helping his own and his wife's parents all out of this world into the next, the care of the elderly has been very, very important. It is hoped this feeling of caring, respect and retaining the dignity in the lives of the elderly who reside in care facilities has come through in this book. If so, it is a success.