Frequently Asked Questions

A Residential Care Facility for the Elderly (RCFE) is essentially a small, licensed home for older adults who need some help but don’t require full-time nursing care.  In California, an RCFE (sometimes called “board and care” or “assisted living”) provides a safe, non‑medical setting with meals, housekeeping, and professional supervision.  Residents enjoy private or shared living quarters and receive help with personal care tasks like bathing, dressing, walking and eating.  Our home is intended for adults 60 and older who need assistance with daily activities but want to stay in a warm, family‑style environment.  Importantly, RCFEs like ours are state‑licensed and regularly inspected by California’s Department of Social Services, so you can trust we meet all safety and care standards while feeling as cozy as home. 

Yes – absolutely.  Imperial Living, LLC is fully licensed by California’s Community Care Licensing Division (Imperial Living I DBA, RCFE License No.: 374604971) and holds a capacity of just 6 residents.  We meet every state requirement, including carrying the mandated liability insurance. We follow every regulation to protect your family.  You can feel assured that we are licensed, insured, and dedicated to the highest professional standards. 

Our intimate six‑bed home provides all the comforts and supports your loved one needs every day.  We serve three home‑cooked, nutritious meals daily (plus snacks throughout the day) in our cozy dining room, and we even deliver trays to anyone who’s feeling under the weather.  Our caregivers handle all household chores – we clean common areas, change linens, and do personal laundry – so residents enjoy a clean, comfortable bedroom.  Most importantly, we provide attentive personal care and supervision 24/7: our staff assists with medications, bathing, grooming, dressing, toileting and mobility support.  We also coordinate medical and dental appointments (with your approval) and offer extra support when someone’s health changes.  Beyond daily needs, we run an enriching activities program – from games and exercise to crafts and community outings – to keep everyone active and engaged.  In short, everything from meals and meds to activities and housekeeping is handled by our team so residents can relax and enjoy life. 

Because we care for only six residents total, our caregiver‑to‑resident ratio is very high.  We have at least one trained caregiver awake and on duty 24 hours a day, and typically two or more staff during daytime and evening hours.  In practice that means each resident often has one staff member for every two or three people – far more individual attention than you’d find in a large facility.  All our caregivers are specially trained in senior care and hold current first aid and CPR certifications.  The result is that each resident receives one‑on‑one attention, whether it’s helping with a bath or just chatting over tea, and families can rest easy knowing someone is always nearby. 

Family and friends are always welcome, because this really is your loved one’s home. We only ask that visitors please sign in with staff at the door and keep noise and activity respectful of other residents. For safety, the front door stays locked around the clock.  Visitors arriving after 8:00 p.m. or before 8:00 a.m. can just ring the doorbell or call ahead, and a caregiver will greet them at the door.  We do not allow door‑to‑door solicitors, and if any guest is disruptive we’ll quietly ask them to leave to protect the peace of our home. Otherwise, please feel free to drop by – no special invitation is needed, and we love hosting family!  (Just remember to sign in and out, and maybe bring a treat for a snack time visit.) 

Scheduling a tour is simple – just give us a call or send us a message and we’ll set up a time to show you around. We encourage you to bring family members or friends along when you visit.  Many times we can accommodate same‑day or next‑day tours, but for the best experience it’s helpful to have an appointment so a director can spend time with you. During the visit, we’ll introduce you to our home and staff, answer every question, and walk through the bedrooms, dining area and common spaces.  There’s no pressure or cost for a tour – it’s an opportunity for you to see our warm, home‑like atmosphere firsthand and decide if it feels right for your family. 

Our rates are competitive for the San Diego/Poway area and reflect the all‑inclusive care we provide.  The monthly fee covers your loved one’s private (or semi‑private) room, all meals and snacks, housekeeping and laundry of personal items, utilities, and our full range of services.  That means 24/7 supervision, personal care assistance (bathing, dressing, toileting, etc.), medication management, and our activities program are all included in one rate – there are no surprise fees for daily living costs.  Any additional needs (like more staff time for extra care or special equipment) can be arranged at an extra cost, but the basics of room, board and care are covered.  Because each family’s situation is unique, we’d be happy to provide you with a personalized quote based on your loved one’s needs.  Just give us a call and we’ll walk through the details with you. 

Absolutely. We pride ourselves on meeting each resident’s individual needs.  In the kitchen, our cook will prepare meals to match any dietary requirements – diabetic, low‑sodium, vegetarian, gluten‑free, pureed, or whatever the doctor orders.  We coordinate with your loved one’s healthcare providers and dietitians to follow special diet plans closely, while still serving tasty, well‑balanced meals. On the medical side, our home is set up for safety: grab bars and a roll‑in shower (as shown in our gallery) make bathroom use easier, and our wide doorways accommodate wheelchairs and walkers.  We centrally store and dispense all medications under strict state guidelines, so nothing is given without a valid prescription or doctor’s order. Our staff can assist with oxygen tanks, catheters, wound care or other common health needs in the home setting.  If more skilled care is needed, we can also arrange for outside health professionals (like visiting nurses or therapists) to come here so residents can remain in familiar surroundings. Your loved one’s comfort and health come first, and we do everything possible to adapt their care plan to meet changing needs. 

We treat any change in health very seriously, with prompt action and compassion.  Our caregivers are trained in basic first aid and emergency response, and in a health crisis we will always call 911 immediately while alerting family and physicians.  We’ll also increase our support in the house – more frequent checks, extra staff attention, or coordination with hospice or home health if appropriate – to keep your loved one comfortable.  California rules require that certain high‑tech treatments (like tube feeding or 24‑hour nursing care) are not provided in a small home.  If your loved one’s needs ever approach that level, we would discuss it openly with you and help facilitate a move to a higher level of care as smoothly as possible.  Rest assured that even if a transfer becomes necessary, we stay involved in a caring way: we join care planning discussions and ensure the new caregivers have all the information to keep your loved one safe.  In short, we never just walk away – we support the family through the transition and make every effort to provide the best care possible inside our home as long as we can. 

Trust is the foundation of our care.  We are a state‑licensed, fully inspected facility, so we are held to strict health and safety standards – and we meet or exceed every one of them. For example, we conduct quarterly fire and disaster drills with the staff, keep the front door locked at all times for security, and require sign‑in for everyone entering the home.  More importantly, our small size means your loved one truly becomes part of our family.  Caregivers and residents form genuine friendships – meals and activities are shared together, stories and photos decorate the walls, and everyone looks out for each other.  We even have a resident council (that residents and families are welcome to join) where people openly share suggestions and ideas, and we listen to their feedback.  Families often tell us they can relax knowing their parent is happy here because the atmosphere feels calm and homey. We invite you to come see for yourself – schedule a visit, and you’ll find it easy to imagine your loved one thriving in our warm, attentive community.