Noah and Tory Share Their Experience with RHA’s Alternative Family Living

August 11, 2025

RHA’s Alternative Family Living (AFL) services offer adults and children with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) the option to live in a natural home setting with a professional caregiver to support them in reaching personal goals and living the life they choose. 

RHA is a reliable provider with decades of experience serving the IDD population, and our professional caregivers often report that their lives and the lives of their families are enriched by their experiences. In Albemarle, North Carolina, Tory Barber is a dedicated AFL caregiver to Noah, who has lived with her since June 2024. Inspired by a friend who is a caregiver to someone living in her home, Tory decided to apply for a job at RHA.  

Tory volunteers in her community and previously worked in mental health and IDD services. She says providing AFL care is unlike any work she’s done before due to the unique bond she and Noah have formed by sharing their home.  

Perhaps the most important factor of AFL services is the familial bond that can be formed. AFL caregivers often find the work to be very fulfilling and rewarding. Tory reports that she enjoys seeing positive changes in Noah and knowing that he feels happy. She says Noah is “very respectful, thoughtful, kind, and always willing to help others.” AFL’s unique model of care allows the service to be highly personalized, helping the people supported to feel valued and to reach new levels of independence. Noah says, “I love the one-on-one care, and the independence Ms. Tory allows me to have. She is funny and sweet, and I like that she really cares about me.”  

AFL services are customizable and flexible, often permitting caregivers to maintain their daily lives. Tory stays very busy running her commercial cleaning business and assisting her daughter’s non-profit while Noah attends day programs 3-4 times per week. RHA’s day programs focus on helping people set and reach personal goals, form and sustain meaningful relationships, and achieve positive health and wellness outcomes. Together, Tory and Noah often swim, ride bikes, visit museums, and spend time in the library while Noah seeks employment. Tory says, “What makes AFL so unique is that I get to watch Noah master tasks that no one ever thought or imagined he would.” 

AFL caregivers can wear many hats while providing personalized support. They assist with transportation, scheduling, cleaning, and food preparation. They may assist with self-care, recreation, and socializing as well. As caregivers get to know the individuals they support, they help them reach their personal goals, which may include forming independent living skills, pursuing education, and securing employment. Because RHA is a comprehensive provider, people receiving AFL services have access to other specialty services that help to meet their unique needs, including behavioral and nursing services. RHA supports AFL caregivers through thorough training, crisis assistance, and respite care as needed.  

AFL caregivers come from a wide range of work backgrounds. RHA asks applicants to bring a desire to serve others and share your home, and we provide the training and support to ensure their success. Before providing AFL care in their homes, RHA supports AFL caregivers with highly individualized competency-based training to ensure they have the preparation and knowledge they need to support the person who will be living in their home. This includes RHA’s proprietary prevention and intervention training, which focuses on supporting resiliency, emotional stability, and problem solving.  

Are you interested in becoming an AFL caregiver? RHA is hiring caring people who are passionate about helping others. Tory says, “If anyone is interested in becoming a provider, I would encourage them to do the research. You have to have a giving heart. Caregiving is something you have to truly want to do.” If this sounds like you, RHA wants to hear from you! Apply today at rhahealth.org/afljobs. 

Are you or someone you know interested in receiving AFL services? Since 1989, RHA has provided high-quality IDD services and has been accredited by the Council on Quality and Leadership (CQL) since 2001. At RHA, the people we serve and support are at the very center of everything we do. We want to give all of us the chance to grow, to learn, and to bloom. To learn more about RHA’s intellectual/developmental disability services and make a referral, visit rhahealth.org/IDD.