Sources checked June 2026.
Tours are designed to make a good impression, and that is fine. Your job is to look underneath it. The questions below help you evaluate care, staffing, safety, and cost with a clear head. Bring this list, take notes, and do not feel rushed. The themes here follow what the National Institute on Aging and the Alzheimer's Association recommend families ask about when choosing a facility.[2][1]
A habit both the National Institute on Aging and the Alzheimer's Association recommend: visit more than once, and make at least one visit unannounced, at a different time of day, including a mealtime. How a place runs when it is not expecting you tells you more than any brochure.[2][1]
About care and staffing
- What level of care are you licensed to provide, and what happens if my loved one's needs increase beyond that?
- What is the staff-to-resident ratio during the day, in the evening, and overnight?
- How are staff trained, and for memory care, what specific dementia training do they receive?
- What is your staff turnover like, and how long have the caregivers and leaders been here?
- Is a nurse on site, and at what hours? Who handles a medical issue at 2 a.m.?
- How do you create and update each resident's care plan, and how is my family kept informed?
About daily life
- Can I see a typical daily and weekly activity schedule?
- What does a normal day look like for a resident with needs like my loved one's?
- Can residents personalize their rooms, and what may they bring from home?
- How do you handle dining, and can you accommodate special diets or eating difficulties?
- What are the visiting hours, and how do you help families stay connected?
About safety and health
Both the National Institute on Aging and the Alzheimer's Association suggest confirming licensing and certification and asking to see the facility's most recent survey or inspection report. In some states, memory care providers must give you a Special Care Unit Disclosure that lists staff training and the specialized services the unit provides, so ask whether one is available.[2][1]
- Are you licensed by the state, and Medicare or Medicaid certified where applicable?
- For memory care, how is the space arranged and secured, and how do residents still get fresh air and movement? (Securing varies by facility, so ask specifically.)
- How do you handle medical emergencies, falls, and hospital transfers?
- How is medication stored, managed, and recorded?
- What is your approach when a resident is anxious or agitated, and how do you avoid relying on medication to manage behavior?
- What were the findings of your most recent state inspection, and may I see them?
About cost and contracts
- What is the all-in monthly cost for my loved one's specific needs, in writing?
- How are care levels assessed, and how much does each level add?
- What is not included in the base rate?
- How often have prices increased in the past few years, and by how much?
- What is the move-out and refund policy, and what happens if funds run low?
- Is there an entrance or community fee, and is it refundable?
Trust your senses, too
Numbers and policies matter, but so does what you notice. Do residents look engaged and well cared for? Are staff warm with people, and do they know residents by name? Is the place clean without feeling clinical, and is the atmosphere calm? Watch how staff speak to residents when they think no one important is watching. That tone is the truest preview of how your loved one will be treated.
Take a moment after each visit to write down how it felt while it is fresh. After a few tours they blur together, and your first impressions are worth keeping.
A short pre-tour checklist
- Bring this question list and something to take notes with.
- Bring a second person if you can, so you have another set of eyes.
- Plan to see resident rooms, dining, and common areas, not just the lobby.
- Ask to speak with a current resident or family member if possible.
- Request all pricing and any contract in writing to review at home.
This guide is for general education. There is no need to decide on the spot. A good facility will give you time and answers in writing.
Where to verify what you are told, independently
You do not have to take a facility's word alone. Free, independent public tools let you check quality and rights for yourself, with no referral company in the middle.
- For nursing homes, Medicare's Care Compare lets you compare inspection results, staffing, and quality measures.[3]
- Every state has a Long-Term Care Ombudsman, a free advocate who handles residents' rights and complaints in nursing homes, assisted living, and board and care.[4]
- The federal Eldercare Locator (800-677-1116) connects you to local agencies on aging and care resources.[5]
Sources
This guide draws only on independent, public sources. The verification tools above are free government or nonprofit services; we deliberately do not route families to paid-referral companies.
- Alzheimer's Association, Long-Term Care (questions to ask; visiting unannounced; inspection reports and Special Care Unit Disclosure).
- National Institute on Aging (NIH), How To Choose a Nursing Home or Other Long-Term Care Facility (steps to take, repeat and unannounced visits, licensing and certification, staffing and turnover, costs and contracts).
- Medicare, Care Compare (compare nursing home quality, staffing, and inspections).
- Administration for Community Living, Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program (residents' rights and complaints).
- Administration for Community Living, Eldercare Locator (free federal service for finding local care and aging resources).