With an increasingly wide and diverse array of assisted living options, figuring out how to find the best assisted living facility for your loved one can take some time. When evaluating your choices, compare factors like staff friendliness, amenities, and overall culture. Be prepared with cost, care plan, and general lifestyle questions to ask assisted living tour guides and staff to help facilitate the process.
Follow these simple steps and use our checklist of questions for assisted living to help make finding a community that fits your senior loved one’s specific needs easier.
1. Pay attention to cleanliness, curb appeal, and design details
The assisted living facility you choose will be your senior loved one’s new home. Details reveal how this home will be maintained, as well as how it may enrich your parent’s physical and mental well-being.
Note your first impression as you observe the community’s outdoor areas and entryways, says Louis Kievit, vice president of customer experience at Enlivant, a senior living provider with communities in 26 states. Porch seating and a garden or courtyard signal a welcoming, social tone, for example.
In addition, when choosing an assisted living facility, pay attention to the following details:
Safety features, like handrails, grab bars, and zero-threshold showers
Accessibility features, like elevators, widened doors, stairlifts, and wheelchair ramps
Decor details, like uplifting colors, comfortable furniture, and opportunities for personalization
Social areas, like dining rooms, lounge spaces, and event halls that encourage gathering
Cleanliness and upkeep in common areas and facility surroundings
2. Get to know caregivers and staff who provide daily support
“At the end of the day, your decision is going to be driven by, ‘Will this team have my parent’s best interest at heart?’” says Kievit. “Will they take care for them and make them feel special? People are the most vital asset.”
If possible, observe one-on-one interactions between staff and residents to assess staff compassion, friendliness, and patience. Be sure to also ask about staff accreditation, background, and training.
Questions to ask assisted living staff:
What is your staff-to-resident ratio? How many staff members are on duty overnight and during the day?
What kind of experience and training does your staff have? Do they perform background checks?
What is the staff turnover rate?
Do you have a registered nurse, licensed vocational nurse, or certified nursing assistant on staff 24/7?
Can staff members administer medications? Are staff members available to meet the residents’ scheduled and unscheduled medical needs? If not, are they able to contact a nearby doctor, nurse, or other licensed health care professional in the event of an emergency?
Are staff members available to assist with activities of daily living (ADLs) if needed? (ADLs include dressing, eating, mobility, hygiene and grooming, bathing, toileting, using the telephone, shopping, and laundry.)
Which organizations audit the facility? How often do they visit? What do they check for?
3. Get a feel for the community’s culture, programming, and amenities
Though many families looking for senior care wonder how to find the best assisted living facility, the ideal fit is different for everyone. Choosing the right assisted living facility depends on your senior loved one’s hobbies and personality, as well as how the community can support and engage them. Seniors who are intellectually engaged generally feel happier and experience lower rates of stress and cognitive decline, according to the National Institute on Aging .
“If Mom loves gardening, I would ask to see the courtyard and meet the gardening club. If it’s reading, I