FAQs

As a non-medical setting, Board and Care homes are limited in the amount of nursing care they are able to provide as they are not required to have a nurse on staff. This means that only a limited number of care homes that have Nurses can provide care such as diabetic insulin injections, feeding tube care, etc. Unlike a Nursing Home (also called a Skilled Nursing Facility), they are also unable to provide therapies such as physical and occupational therapy; however, they do work with mobile therapy services to help residents to improve and get stronger. See Nursing Homes and Board & Care

* Larger Assisted Living/Memory Care Communities have a full Activities Calendar with a variety of choices. See the question below Do Assisted Living/Board & Cares Offer Daily Activities?

This depends on a number of factors. There are several levels of care that range from non-medical assistance with activities of daily living to skilled nursing care.

Even within a single care level, the services provided can vary widely from home to home. That is why we encourage you to contact us before deciding on a home. By keeping in touch with the homes in the area we maintain an up-to-date database with the exact care provided by each home.

Board & Care, Assisted Living and Memory Care Communities are all NON-MEDICAL. California does not require any Nurses to be on staff, or on call. However, some homes and Communities do offer some Nursing supervision.

The Department of Social Services has a special division called Community Care Licensing that monitors all licensed care homes (which includes Board & Care, Assisted Living, and Memory Care).

Home records are public information and are available at the Department of Social Services website. All visitation reports are listed, so a report does not necessarily equal a citation or deficiency. We regularly monitor the condition of all homes we refer, so feel free to contact Care Placement for further information.

Yes! Care Placement likes to keep in contact with the families we assist who move in to a care home to get an insider’s perspective on the care, cleanliness, staff, etc. We appreciate any personal feedback provided by families. We have a dedicated Homes Liaison who regularly visits care homes and reviews their records with the state.

But don’t just take us or anyone else at their word. You should always go see the facility for yourself to make sure it’s the perfect fit for your needs.

Yes. Most will require a 30 day minimum stay length, with some accepting as little as 14 days. They typically charge a daily rate which on average will range from $175/day – $300/day depending on the Community and care services needed.

Some Communities allow pets. Some will require that mom/dad be able to take care of them, or hire a service to do so. However, some Communities will provide pet care for an additional fee. Smaller Board & Care homes are less likely to accept pets due to resident/staff allergies, noise complaints from other residents, as well as the liability caused by pets who could be a possible trip hazard.

For more information on bringing pets to senior homes, check out our blog.

Yes. Furniture must be in good shape and not a hazard to mom/dad. Rooms must have enough space to allow for any assistive devices such as walkers or wheelchairs.

Most Communities strive to be inclusive of all religions and faiths. There are a few who cater specifically to some religions such as Catholic or Jewish faiths. However, they cannot discriminate and accept people of all faiths.

Yes. Communities with 16 or more residents have an activities calendar with regularly scheduled activities. Smaller homes with 15 or less residents are not required to have regularly scheduled activities, but will typically schedule activities based on their current population’s ability to participate. Examples of common activities are:

We have several posts in our blog discussing a variety of activities provided by senior living homes and available in the surrounding areas.

No. Medicare does not pay for residential care settings. They typically only cover short-term rehabilitation stays at a Skilled Nursing Facility up to 100 days, with the average stay length being 10-21 days. For more information on what Medicare covers in California, visit www.medicare.gov.

No. Some states have Medicaid programs that will pay for residential care, but California’s MediCal program does not. MediCal does cover long term Skilled Nursing, but it has income and care need requirements that must be met in order to qualify. For more information, visit Do You Qualify For MediCal?

The Assisted Living Waiver (commonly called ALW) is a program by MediCal that can help cover the cost of Assisted Living or Board & Care. There are strict qualifications, limited availability, and usually a long waitlist to apply.

This can be a good option if you qualify for full-scope, no share-of-cost Medi-Cal benefits and aren’t in a hurry. Here at Care Placement, we can’t help you apply for the Assisted Living Waiver. You will have to contact a Care Coordination Agency.

Not all facilities are approved by the state to accept ALW beneficiaries. The state maintains an up-to-date list of those that do.

If you or your family member have qualified for the ALW program, let us know during the evaluation. We can refer you to homes that accept the waiver.

“California Health & Safety Code HSC 1569.652 states:

• (a) A residential care facility for the elderly shall not require advance notice for terminating an admission agreement upon the death of a resident.  No fees shall accrue once all personal property belonging to the deceased resident is removed from the living unit.
• (b) Upon the death of a resident, a licensee shall not impede the removal of the resident’s personal property from the facility during reasonable hours by an individual or individuals authorized by the resident or the resident’s responsible person, as identified in the admission agreement or attachment, or by a court-appointed executor or administrator of the decedent’s estate, if applicable.
• (c) A refund of any fees paid in advance covering the time after the resident’s personal property has been removed from the facility shall be issued to the individual, individuals, or entity contractually responsible for the fees or, if the deceased resident paid the fees, to the resident’s estate, within 15 days after the personal property is removed.
• (d) If fees are assessed while a resident’s personal property remains in a unit after the resident is deceased, a licensee shall, within three days of becoming aware of the resident’s death, provide to the resident’s responsible person, or other individual or individuals as identified in the admission agreement or attachment, written notice of the facility’s policies regarding contract termination upon death and refunds.”

“California Health & Safety Code HSC 1569.652 states:

• (a) A residential care facility for the elderly shall not require advance notice for terminating an admission agreement upon the death of a resident.  No fees shall accrue once all personal property belonging to the deceased resident is removed from the living unit.
• (b) Upon the death of a resident, a licensee shall not impede the removal of the resident’s personal property from the facility during reasonable hours by an individual or individuals authorized by the resident or the resident’s responsible person, as identified in the admission agreement or attachment, or by a court-appointed executor or administrator of the decedent’s estate, if applicable.
• (c) A refund of any fees paid in advance covering the time after the resident’s personal property has been removed from the facility shall be issued to the individual, individuals, or entity contractually responsible for the fees or, if the deceased resident paid the fees, to the resident’s estate, within 15 days after the personal property is removed.
• (d) If fees are assessed while a resident’s personal property remains in a unit after the resident is deceased, a licensee shall, within three days of becoming aware of the resident’s death, provide to the resident’s responsible person, or other individual or individuals as identified in the admission agreement or attachment, written notice of the facility’s policies regarding contract termination upon death and refunds.”

2023 Average Costs:*

• Assisted Living/Memory Care: $6000
• Board & Care: $5000
• Skilled Nursing: $10,000

* Rates are per month. Rates will vary based on the needs of the individual. Rates will vary based on the location of the home, as some areas can be more expensive than others (i.e La Jolla vs. La Mesa)

In-Home Average Costs: