Website FAQ: Questions and Answers

Updated September 8, 2026 with facts confirmed by Benjamin Donel on September 7, 2026

Straight answers about living at Real Care. If your question is not here, call (866) 619-3251 or schedule a tour.

About Real Care

What is Real Care Assisted Living?

A licensed residential care facility for the elderly (RCFE License #157209417) at 818 Real Road in Bakersfield, just off Highway 99. We offer assisted living, a secured memory care neighborhood, short-term respite stays, independent living, and hospice care in place.

Are you open and taking new residents?

Yes. Real Care has been open since August 2025 and is accepting new residents now, with shared, studio, and one-bedroom apartments available.

Who lives at Real Care?

Adults who need help with daily activities, medications, meals, or mobility, and adults with Alzheimer’s or dementia who need a secured setting. There is no age requirement; younger adults are welcome to apply.

Do you speak Spanish?

Yes. Our admissions team and care staff on every shift speak Spanish. Hablamos español las 24 horas.

Paying for care

Do you accept residents whose only income is SSI?

Yes. When you live in licensed assisted living, your SSI rises to the state rate for care homes ($1,626.07 a month in 2026). $1,444.07 of that pays Real Care for your apartment, meals, and basic care, and you keep $182 each month for yourself. We help with every step of the paperwork.

Do you take Medi-Cal?

Yes, in more than one way. Real Care is an approved Assisted Living Waiver (ALW) provider, and we are contracted with Anthem Blue Cross and Kaiser Permanente for their Medi-Cal assisted living benefit.

Medi-Cal pays for your care; your SSI or other income pays room and board.

How much does Real Care cost?

For residents on SSI, the cost is the state rate ($1,444.07 a month in 2026) and Medi-Cal covers the care. For private-pay residents the rate depends on the apartment and the level of care from your assessment. Call for a quote; one call is enough to learn what you qualify for.

Are there extra charges?

For SSI residents, no. Supplies, transportation, the salon, and cable are included in the state rate.

Is there a waitlist?

Not for an apartment. The state Assisted Living Waiver has a statewide waitlist that we get you on early; the Anthem Blue Cross and Kaiser benefits have no waitlist and are approved case by case. If you are on SSI and pass our assessment, you can move in while an application is pending.

Do you accept long-term care insurance or VA benefits?

Yes. Long-term care insurance and the VA Aid and Attendance pension can pay toward a private-pay stay. Bring the policy or award letter and we will help with the paperwork.

Can family pay extra for a private apartment?

Residents on SSI live in our shared two-person apartments; private apartments are for private-pay residents. Payments from family can reduce an SSI check unless they are structured correctly, so talk to us before arranging anything.

Care

What is the difference between assisted living and memory care at Real Care?

Assisted living residents get help with bathing, dressing, medications, and meals in an open community. Memory care residents live in a secured neighborhood with delayed-egress doors approved by the fire department and state licensing, a structured daily program, staff with 40 hours of dementia training, and about one staff member for every three residents.

Do you offer independent living?

Yes. Residents who need little or no daily help can live at Real Care under the same admission agreement, with meals, housekeeping, activities, and staff nearby if needs change.

Can my parent stay if they go on hospice?

Yes. Real Care cares for hospice residents in place. Your hospice agency provides the hospice services and we provide the daily care, so your parent does not have to move.

Do you accept residents who use a wheelchair or cannot walk?

Yes. Real Care is licensed for non-ambulatory residents.

Who manages medications?

Trained staff assist with medications under the physician’s orders. We coordinate refills and communicate with your doctor, pharmacy, home health, and hospice. A nurse is available as needed.

Can we keep our own doctor?

Yes. Residents keep their own physicians and health plan. We arrange transportation to appointments and share updates with your doctor.

What is a respite stay?

A short stay, from a single night to several weeks, for recovery after a hospital stay, a caregiver’s vacation, or a trial before moving in. Respite guests have a furnished apartment and receive the same care and meals as full-time residents. Call for the daily rate.

How fast can you take someone being discharged from a hospital?

Quickly. Our assessments are done seven days a week, including weekends, and we can answer the coverage questions on the same call. Tell the discharge planner to call (866) 619-3251.

Daily life

What is included?

A furnished apartment, three meals a day plus snacks, weekly housekeeping and laundry, utilities and Wi-Fi, 24-hour staff with an emergency call system, the activity calendar, the saltwater pool and jacuzzi, theater room, library, fitness room, salon, bistro, and scheduled transportation to appointments.

Can couples live together?

Yes. Couples can share an apartment.

Are pets allowed?

Yes, with prior approval and our pet rules, which we review at the tour.

Can residents have visitors?

Yes. Family and friends are welcome. We ask that visits respect meal times and quiet hours, and memory care visitors sign in at the neighborhood entrance.

Is there transportation?

Yes, scheduled transportation to medical appointments and community outings.

Tours and moving in

When can we tour?

Every day from 8 am to 6 pm, and by appointment after hours. Same-day tours are welcome. A tour takes about 30 minutes: a real apartment, the dining room and courtyard, the care team, and your questions answered on the spot.

We live out of town. Can we see it without driving there?

Yes. We offer live video tours for out-of-town families, and we can arrange transportation to the community for families who want to visit in person.

How does the move-in process work?

Call or schedule a tour. Our team meets you, reviews the physician’s report (form LIC 602A), completes a pre-admission assessment, and confirms we can meet your needs. You sign the admission agreement and choose a move-in date. For SSI residents we give you the paperwork Social Security needs to switch you to the higher rate.

What should we bring?

Photo ID, Medi-Cal card and health plan card, SSI or Social Security award letter, the physician’s report, a current medication list, and any POLST or DNR. Personal items: clothing, toiletries, photos, and a favorite chair or bedding. Apartments come furnished.

How are roommates matched in shared apartments?

By compatibility: similar routines, care needs, and temperament. You can tour a shared apartment before deciding, and we will move a resident if a match is not working.

Who do I call?

Call (866) 619-3251 or schedule a tour online. One call is enough to find out what you qualify for.

Closing line: Call (866) 619-3251 or schedule a tour. Real Care Assisted Living, 818 Real Road, Bakersfield, CA 93309. Lic. #157209417.