If you’re not quite sure what a residential care home is, you’re not alone. Even our own government was challenged to come up with a definition.

“Unlike hospitals and nursing homes, definitions and nomenclature regarding [residential care facilities] vary widely across states,” the Department of Health and Human Services said in a 2010 report. One of the main aspects that make these homes so nonuniform is simply the variety in sizes.

How Big is a Residential Care Home?

Generally, residential-care home suggests a small facility that provides care for just a few residents—say, four to 15. Some are set up like apartment complexes, others are in traditional facilities, and still others are inside houses.

That said, for their report, DHS set the size at four or more beds. That means some facilities they classified as residential care housed 100 or more residents. So you can’t be certain residential care means small. But it’s a good bet as a starting point.

What Kind of Care Can You Get in a Residential Care Home?

Residential care homes generally provide help with personal care and everyday activities, including dressing, bathing and managing medications. Though some homes may include a certain amount of health care, they generally aren’t licensed to offer 24-hour medical care, as nursing homes are. In that way, they’re more like assisted living facilities. In fact, that’s how they’re classified in some states.

Other names various states use include:

• Adult foster care
• Elder group home
• Adult family home
• Personal care home
• Sheltered care home
• Rest home
• Home for the aged
• Board and care home
• Home plus

If you’re looking for an intimate environment, find out what your state calls small facilities. Or contact us, and we’ll help you find one.

Be sure to check out our article on what to look for in residential care facilities because these aren’t all regulated as tightly as you might imagine. You’ll need to do some homework to ensure the one you choose is of good quality and matches up with your care needs.