6Beds leaders, along with CALA and other key stakeholder groups, met on December 2, 2014 with California’s Department of Social Services (DSS) to begin much anticipated discussions about the changing landscape of Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly (RCFE).
Two major issues were discussed:
1. Higher Acuity in RCFE
6Beds proposed that RCFEs should maintain their non-medical facility status and that the focus should be placed on bringing medical care by licensed medical professionals into the RCFE setting. This would allow the elderly to age in place within a homelike setting, rather than face institutionalization when their level of acuity changes. This proposition will continue to be refined over the course of 6Beds’ ongoing and frequent dialogue with DSS and other stakeholder groups.
2. Availability of Affordable Care for Low-Income Residents
6Beds noted that 6-bed RCFEs have traditionally served as the affordable option for low-income seniors, including SSI/SSP recipients. 6Beds leaders also pointed out that in anticipation of the future wave of baby boomers, 6-bed RCFEs would be prepared to continue to meet the need for affordable care, but emphasized that their ability to do so is tied directly to the preservation of the live-in caregiver model.
