A board and care home is a house in a residential neighborhood, licensed by the State of California to provide care and supervision to a small number of older adults, usually six or fewer. Residents get a bedroom, home-cooked meals, help with daily activities, and caregivers on site around the clock.
How it is licensed
In California a board and care home for older adults is licensed as a Residential Care Facility for the Elderly (RCFE) by the Department of Social Services, Community Care Licensing Division. That is the same license that large assisted living communities hold. The rules on staffing, training, medications, residents' rights, and inspections are the same. The difference is size.
In the state's licensing file for Los Angeles County, 1,361 of the 1,648 licensed RCFEs have six or fewer beds. Small homes are by far the most common kind of licensed senior care home in the county. Browse them by community.
What is included
- A private or shared bedroom, furnished or bring your own.
- Three meals a day plus snacks, including special diets.
- Help with bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, and getting around.
- Help taking medications, with records kept.
- Housekeeping and laundry.
- Supervision day and night, and coordination with doctors, home health and hospice.
Board and care homes are not nursing homes. They do not provide ongoing skilled nursing, although visiting nurses, therapists and hospice teams can come in.
Who it suits
People who can no longer live safely alone but do not need a nursing home: someone who is falling, forgetting medications, living with dementia, recovering slowly after a hospital stay, or needing more hands-on help than family can give. Some homes are also cleared to care for residents who cannot walk, and some hold hospice waivers.
What it costs
Board and care in California typically runs $3,000 to $6,000 a month in 2026 (a statewide range), usually one rate that includes room, meals and care. See the full cost guide.