California care guides

Understand your options.
Find your next step.

You do not have to learn everything at once. Start with the question on your mind.

New to looking for care?

Start with the basics.

Learn what care homes provide and how California’s different care options compare.

How will we pay for care?

The full bill, payment options, and who can help.

Someone is leaving the hospital.

Notices, timing, and questions for the next conversation.

We’re getting ready to visit.

Read the agreement and ask about costs before deciding.

Go a little deeper

Read one guide or explore a topic.
Every guide includes its sources and review date.

The types of homes, the care, and the record.

RCFE vs. assisted living vs. skilled nursing
Make sense of the names and the care each setting provides.
Board and care vs. assisted living
Compare smaller homes and larger communities.
How to check a care home’s license
Find the license, read its status, and understand inspection records.
Hospice in a care home
Understand the approvals and questions to discuss with a home.

The full bill and the ways people pay.

Paying for care in California
Start with the full monthly bill, then explore payment options.
The Assisted Living Waiver (ALW), explained
Understand the program, its requirements, and how to apply.
SSI in care homes: five myths
Read the rules on payments, deposits, and refunds.

Visits, paperwork, timing, and settling in.

Three documents every care home must hand you
Know what paperwork to ask for before making a decision.
The Medicare discharge clock
Understand notices, review requests, and the next steps after a stay.
The real admission sequence
See how the agreement, health information, and move fit together.
The first 90 days
Prepare for the first weeks and keep conversations going.

Whenever you’re ready

Start with a place, or let a few questions help you begin.