Congregate Living Health Facilities
This home-like setting offers 24-hour skilled nursing care that generally is more intensive than in nursing facilities. Clients may be terminally ill or have severe physical or mental disabilities and are not able to care for themselves. Congregate living health facilities (CLHFs) generally have fewer than a dozen beds and might specialize in particular types of care, such as brain injuries. There are only about 40 such providers in California. The cost varies widely and they generally accept payments only from individuals or private insurance. Common sources of help, such as Medicare, Medigap, and Medi-Cal, typically do not cover this care.
Frequently, they serve people who are mentally alert but physically disabled; who are terminally ill with a life expectancy of six months or less; or who suffer from a catastrophic illness or injury resulting in severe disability. The services they offer differ depending on the characteristics and needs of the resident. For example, a facility that serves patients who have mental disorders provides more supportive psychiatric treatment, while one serving severely disabled patients provides more skilled nursing, rehabilitation, durable medical equipment, radiology, and pharmacy services.