Residential care facilities for the elderly, otherwise referred to as RCFE, is a type of care facility specifically designed to serve and assist the elderly with their daily lives. These facilities are also known as assisted living facilities. For those making plans to buy RCFEs there are a few basic pieces of information to know in order to build a strong foundation of knowledge in buying one of these facilities.

What is Residential Care For the Elderly?

RCFEs are homes and/or facilities that house the elderly and assist them with daily living activities. Those who qualify as the elderly are anyone over 62 years of age.

Assisted living style-care for the elderly includes bathing, grooming, cooking, regular housekeeping and whatever services the specific facility has available. RCFE care also includes incontinence care and medication management so that all residents take the right medication at the right time as instructed by their doctors and physicians.

Are RCFEs Regulated?

In California, these facilities are regulated by the Department of Social Services, specifically by the Community Care Licensing Division, also referred to as Title 22. (In other states with Medicaid waivers, the Department of Health Services regulates assisted living.)

For Title 22 Regulations, you can visit the Department of Social Services, which provides manuals and licensing requirements that every RCFE in California must meet for proper operation.

Though the state provides general requirements, the quality of care from facility to facility differs depending on the operators. When searching to buy RCFEs, build your own set of standards and expectations by which you can grade potential facilities. For each prospective RCFE buy, visit the physical plant.

Actively getting to know the staff and familiarizing yourself with the physical facility is extremely telling to the quality of operation. Are the staff members friendly and welcoming? What does the population look like? How do the residents like their time at this specific facility? Is the plant clean and organized or do they seem understaffed? Because RCFEs are regulated by the Department of Social Services, they undergo inspection, most commonly, once every two years. This means when you visit assisted living homes for sale, these facilities should be meeting minimum requirements, at the least.

Next, study the plant’s financials. Check on rent rolls and any records on profit and loss to see if it is viable as a business and that the numbers are where you want them to be.

How Do I Find Out the Track Record of a Facility?

Because the state regulates all RCFEs, records of any assisted living facility for sale are available at the Department of Social Services by county. These records include licensing history, founded complaints, deficiencies and other information available for your review.

The JCH Group is Your Senior Living Brokerage

Our teams at The JCH Group are responsible for consistently orchestrating successful relationships when it comes time to buy healthcare properties. We can help find a congregate care facility for sale that matches your goals and preferences.

The JCH Group provides complimentary assessments for those looking to sell or buy RCFE and/or skilled nursing facilities. As a premier senior living brokerage, we are dedicated to facilitating profitable deals and honest trades resulting in healthy and conducive senior care facilities.