Hospice-waiver placement · Downey, CA
Hospice care in a board and care home in Downey
When someone is on hospice, a small licensed home can be the place where they are most comfortable. A home in California can keep a hospice resident only if it has a hospice waiver from the state. Downey has 7 licensed homes with fifteen beds or fewer, and we check which ones are approved for hospice.
How hospice works in a care home in Downey
- The home needs a hospice waiver from the California Department of Social Services to keep a resident who is on hospice. The public licensing file does not show which homes have one, so we confirm it by phone.
- Your hospice agency still provides the hospice care: nurse visits, medications and equipment related to the diagnosis, aides and chaplain. The home provides the room, meals, and daily care around the clock.
- The Medicare hospice benefit does not pay room and board. Families usually pay the home's monthly rate, typically $3,000 to $6,000 for board and care in LA County.
- Time matters. We can often confirm a hospice-approved bed within a day or two of your call.
Downey in the state licensing data
How the 11 licensed homes in Downey compare with LA County as a whole, from the state extract dated May 25, 2025.
| State licensing data | Downey | LA County |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed homes | 11 | 1,644 |
| Board and care, 6 beds or fewer | 6 (55%) | 1,359 (83%) |
| Small homes, 7 to 15 beds | 1 (9%) | 27 (2%) |
| Communities, 16 or more beds | 4 (36%) | 258 (16%) |
| Licensed beds | 761 | 43,145 |
| Median beds per home | 6 | 6 |
| Licensed since the start of 2024 | 3 | 287 |
- The largest licensed home in Downey is Downey Retirement Center, with 252 beds.
- Homes with fifteen or fewer beds hold 49 of the 761 licensed beds in Downey (6%).
- Licensed homes in Downey are spread across these ZIP codes: 90242 (6 homes), 90240 (3 homes), 90241 (2 homes).
- Newest licenses in Downey: Downey Christian Home (2024), Excellence Board and Care (2024), Primecare Downey (2024).
Licensed homes with fifteen or fewer beds in Downey
The state file does not show which of these hold a hospice waiver. We check that, and whether a bed is open, by phone. Listed alphabetically; select a home for its license details.
Nearby communities
South Gate (3.1 mi, 1 home, 0 board and care); Paramount (3.5 mi, 1 home, 1 board and care); Bellflower (3.7 mi, 9 homes, 5 board and care); Norwalk (4.0 mi, 18 homes, 15 board and care); Lynwood (4.3 mi, 2 homes, 0 board and care). Distances are straight-line between community centers.
See every licensed home on our Downey board and care page, or read more about hospice-waiver placement across Los Angeles County.
Questions families ask
Can someone on hospice live in a board and care home in Downey?
Yes, if the home has a hospice waiver from the Department of Social Services and can meet the resident's needs. The hospice agency provides the medical side of the care, and the home provides daily care and supervision.
Does Medicare pay for hospice in a care home?
Medicare's hospice benefit pays for the hospice services, medications and equipment related to the terminal diagnosis. It does not pay the care home's room and board.
How fast can you find a hospice bed in Downey?
Often within a day or two. Call us at (747) 210-9358 and tell us the discharge date. We will check which homes in and around Downey have a hospice waiver and an open bed.
Hospice in a care home in nearby communities
More care options in Downey
Get help with hospice care in a care home in Downey
We will call you back the same business day. There is no cost to your family. The care home pays our placement fee.