Preparing for a California care-home move is easier when the family organizes medical information, legal and insurance documents, medications, personal routines, belongings, and first-week follow-up before move-in day. Confirm the selected home’s exact requirements because forms and procedures can differ.
Download the printable California Care Home Move-In Organizer →
What medical information should the family prepare?
- The facility-required physician report or medical assessment
- A current medication list with dose, schedule, purpose, prescriber, and pharmacy
- Allergies, diagnoses, mobility limits, dietary needs, and communication needs
- Primary care, specialist, hospice, home-health, and preferred hospital contacts when applicable
- Instructions for mobility aids, hearing aids, glasses, dentures, CPAP, oxygen, or other equipment
California RCFE regulations address a physician-signed medical assessment and a pre-admission appraisal. The home should tell the family which current forms and examinations it requires before acceptance.
Which documents may be needed?
- Photo identification and insurance, Medicare, or Medi-Cal cards as requested
- Emergency contacts and authorized representative information
- Advance Health Care Directive and health-care agent contact, if completed
- Financial power of attorney, conservatorship papers, POLST, or DNR documents when applicable
- The signed admission agreement, fee schedule, house policies, and resident-rights information
Review the California directive and power-of-attorney guide →
How should medications be moved?
Ask the home exactly how medications must arrive, who coordinates refills, which pharmacy is used, and who may assist the resident. Do not reorganize or transfer medication into new containers unless the facility and prescribing professionals instruct you to do so.
What should go in the resident’s room?
- Comfortable labeled clothing and shoes
- Approved furniture, photos, music, hobbies, or familiar objects
- Phone, charger, contact list, and hearing-aid batteries
- Personal-care or incontinence supplies the family is responsible for providing
Measure the room and ask what furniture or decorations are allowed before delivery. Keep irreplaceable jewelry, cash, and sensitive documents somewhere secure unless the resident needs them.
What routines should staff know?
Write down the resident’s preferred name, language, wake and sleep patterns, food preferences, cultural or faith practices, meaningful activities, communication style, and approaches that reduce distress. This information helps staff see the person rather than only the care tasks.
What should happen during the first week?
- Ask the resident privately how meals, sleep, care, and staff interactions feel.
- Confirm that medications and equipment arrived and are handled as planned.
- Address an unexpected charge, missed routine, fall, or health change promptly.
- Schedule an early care-plan check-in with the administrator or designated contact.
If there is a care or rights concern
Contact the local Long-Term Care Ombudsman or call California’s 24/7 Ombudsman Hotline at 800-231-4024. Call 911 if someone is in immediate danger.
Read the California resident-rights and complaints guide →
This checklist is educational and does not replace instructions from the selected facility or advice from medical, legal, or licensing professionals. Requirements and circumstances vary. Sources reviewed September 2026.