This may be your situation
- Mom is healthy and sharp, but the house and yard have become too much for her.
- Dad has been alone since your mother died and eats most meals by himself.
- Your parents want to stop driving and live somewhere with meals and a van.
- One parent is independent and the other is starting to need help, and they want to stay together.
- You are not sure whether your father needs independent living or assisted living.
What independent living is, and what it is not
Independent living is housing with services. Residents rent an apartment or cottage, and the monthly fee usually includes things like meals, housekeeping, transportation and a calendar of activities. Residents bathe, dress and take their own medications without help from the community's staff.
The difference from assisted living is a legal one in California. State law defines a residential care facility as housing where care and supervision are provided, meaning ongoing help with daily activities such as personal care and taking medications. Any home that provides that needs an RCFE license from the Department of Social Services.
The same law says the licensing rules do not apply to a place that is limited to housing, meals, transportation, housekeeping, or recreational and social activities, provided no resident requires care and supervision. That describes independent living. The practical result: the state's Community Care Licensing Division inspects licensed care homes and investigates complaints about them, and that oversight does not extend to housing that sits outside the license.
Some buildings hold an RCFE license for one wing or floor and offer independent living in the rest. Ask each community which parts are licensed, and look the license up yourself.
Independent living compared with assisted living
Families often tour both on the same weekend. The table shows the main differences. Our guide to RCFEs and assisted living covers the licensed side in more detail.
| Independent living | Assisted living (RCFE) | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it suits | Older adults who handle their own daily care | People who need help with daily care, but less than a nursing home provides |
| Help with bathing, dressing, medications | Not provided by the community | Provided by staff, with 24-hour supervision |
| California care license | Not required for housing, meals, housekeeping, transportation and activities | Required |
| Cost | A monthly fee for housing and services; ask what it includes | Most people pay the full cost themselves; Medicare does not pay for it |
“What impressed us most is that her support didn’t end once my father was placed. She has continued to check in, remains available when we need her, and genuinely cares about how he is doing.”
Signs that more help may be needed later
A move to independent living works when the person can still manage alone day to day. The National Institute on Aging lists changes that can be signs an older adult needs extra support:
- Trouble preparing meals safely on a stove.
- Not bathing regularly, or wearing clothes that do not suit the weather.
- Missing medications or not taking them regularly.
- Significant weight gain or weight loss.
- Falls, or trouble walking and getting around.
- Confusion, or memory problems beyond occasional forgetfulness.
- Loneliness or social isolation.
Continuing care retirement communities
A continuing care retirement community, or CCRC, puts several levels on one campus. The California Department of Social Services describes CCRCs as offering a long-term continuing care contract that provides housing, residential services and nursing care, usually in one location. They can include independent living, assisted living and skilled nursing.
CCRCs are regulated more closely than plain independent living. A provider must obtain a certificate of authority from the department before offering continuing care contracts, and must also hold an RCFE license. Skilled nursing units are licensed separately by the California Department of Public Health. The department's Continuing Care Contracts Bureau tracks each provider's financial condition.
Most continuing care contracts call for an entrance fee plus monthly fees, and the department describes four contract types with different refund and care promises. It encourages people to consult legal and financial professionals before signing. Hamssa can talk through how a CCRC compares with other options, but the contract itself is a question for an attorney.
How Hamssa helps you compare options
Hamssa Benrekia holds an RCFE Administrator Certificate and has worked in senior care for more than a decade. Independent living is one of the kinds of homes she helps families find, alongside assisted living communities and board and care homes. When a family is unsure which one fits, that is usually the first thing she helps sort out. If your parent would rather stay at home with help, she can also point you to resources for home care agencies.
- 1
A conversation
Hamssa asks about care needs, health conditions, preferences, lifestyle and monthly budget. Be candid about what your parent does alone and where you already step in.
- 2
A short list
She puts together a short list that fits. It may include independent living, licensed assisted living, or both, so you can compare them side by side.
- 3
Tours together
She schedules the tours and goes with you. Seeing an independent living apartment and an assisted living apartment on the same day makes the difference plain.
- 4
Talking terms
She helps you talk through the monthly fee, what it includes and the agreement with the community or home.
- 5
A check-in
She checks in after the move. If needs change later, you can call her again.
Getting started
Call, text or WhatsApp Hamssa at 310-594-0694, or send a message. She works with families in Torrance, Redondo Beach, Rancho Palos Verdes, San Pedro, Long Beach and nearby cities.
Hamssa does not give medical advice. If you have noticed any of the changes listed above, raise them with your parent's doctor as well.
What it costs you
Hamssa’s placement help is free for families.
Hamssa is paid a referral fee by the care home your parent moves into, never by the family. The amount differs from home to home. If the home that best fits your parent pays her nothing, she still recommends it. Ask her about it on the first call: you are entitled to know how any placement agency is paid. How placement agencies are paid
Common questions
Is independent living licensed in California?
Generally not as a care facility. California's law on residential care facilities says its licensing rules do not apply to a place limited to housing, meals, transportation, housekeeping, or recreational and social activities, provided no resident requires care and supervision. A home that provides care and supervision needs an RCFE license. Ask each community whether any part of it is licensed.
What is the difference between independent living and assisted living?
Care. In independent living, residents handle their own bathing, dressing and medications, and the community provides housing and services such as meals and housekeeping. The National Institute on Aging describes assisted living as being for people who need help with daily care, with staff on site and 24-hour supervision. In California, assisted living is licensed as an RCFE.
How do people pay for independent living?
Independent living is housing, so plan on paying the monthly fee from income and savings, and ask each community exactly what the fee includes. For comparison, the National Institute on Aging says most people pay the full cost of assisted living themselves and that Medicare does not pay for assisted living. Fees vary by community and apartment.
What does Hamssa's help cost our family?
Hamssa's placement help is free for families. The page on whether senior placement is free explains how that works. Rent and fees at the community you choose are separate, and she helps you talk those terms through before you sign.
How long does it take to find a place?
It depends on what is open, how many places you want to see and how quickly your parent is ready to decide. Independent living is rarely an emergency, so most families can take time to tour and compare. Hamssa cannot promise a date or an opening. Starting before a health scare gives your parent more say in the choice.
What happens if my father needs more care after he moves to independent living?
Ask each community before he moves in. Independent living sits outside California's care license only while residents do not require care and supervision, so growing needs can mean a move to licensed assisted living, in the same building if it has a licensed section or somewhere else. Hamssa can help you compare licensed homes if that time comes.
Sources
Official pages this page relies on. Rules and programs change, so check the source for the current version.
- California Legislative Information: Health and Safety Code section 1569.145 (what the RCFE licensing law does not apply to)
- California Legislative Information: Health and Safety Code section 1569.2 (definitions, including care and supervision)
- California Department of Social Services: Choosing a Residential Care Facility for Seniors in California
- California Department of Social Services: Continuing Care
- National Institute on Aging: Long-Term Care Facilities: Assisted Living, Nursing Homes, and Other Residential Care
- National Institute on Aging: Does an Older Adult in Your Life Need Help?