Assisted living facilities (also called Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly, or RCFEs) are non-medical, social-model facilities licensed by the California Department of Social Services (CCLD). They are designed to provide “custodial care,” such as assistance with dressing, bathing, and meals. Skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), by contrast, are medical facilities licensed by the Department of Public Health to provide 24-hour medical and nursing care. When an RCFE tries to manage complex medical problems it isn’t licensed for, severe injuries occur.
