In California, there are today over licensed residential care facilities for the elderly. The term residential care refers to a system of non medical custodial care which can be provided in a single family residence, a retirement residence or in any appropriate care facility including a nursing home. There are facilities licensed to care for more than six residents but they are usually retirement complexes or specialty facilities built to care for elderly people In this setting the facility is often called an Assisted Living Facility.
It is important to note that both Residential Care and Assisted Living facilities operate under the same regulations regarding care services and the differences if any are due to a particular facilities program and not differences in Community Care Licensing regulations.
Residential Care facilities operate under the supervision of Community Care Licensing, a sub agency of the California Dept. At that time homes for the elderly were known as Board and Care Homes and the name still persists as a common term to describe a licensed residential care home.
Residential care facilities are not allowed to provide skilled nursing services, such as give injections or maintain catheters and do colostomy care unless there is a credentialed RN or LVN individual working in the home , but they can provide assistance with all daily living activities, such as bathing, dressing, toileting, urinary or bowel incontinency care. The small residential care home, licensed for 2 to 6 people provides a safe, comfortable and dignified environment for those who need help intermittently throughout the day and night.
Some residential care facilities utilize community resources such social day care programs for their residents, which addresses the need for stimulating activity, both mental and physical. Residential care is very cost effective as well, on the average about half the cost of nursing home care.
