Choosing the best assisted living facility for your loved one can seem like an overwhelming task. From figuring out the financials to researching facilities’ regulation violations, there are a lot of options to weigh and things to consider.

After you’ve done the heavy lifting of researching assisted living communities in your area, you probably have a pretty good idea of the various facilities and what they offer. But don’t base your decision on marketing materials and pretty websites alone.

Now it’s time to go on a tour to confirm what you have gathered. Visiting the assisted living facilities you are considering is the best way to make sure you find what is best for your loved one.

There are some questions you’ll want to ask during your visit to help you compare assisted living costs, but in general, let your sense lead the way.

Here are five tips for how to use your sense when touring assisted living facilities.

Did You See That?

When touring an assisted living facility, it is important that you observe the things that you see around the community. Look past the furnishings, and pay attention to the people.
Do you see residents socializing and interacting with one another?

• Do you see care partners who attentive and compassionately respond to the needs of the residents right away?
• Do you see a resident in a wheelchair alone with no team member close by?
• Do you see a resident alone in their room during the day with no activities going on?
• Do you see happy, well-cared-for residents?

Do You Hear What I Hear?

You can learn a lot about an assisted living facility by listening to how people speak to one another — how the residents speak to each other, how the team members speak to one another, how the team members speak to the residents, and how the tour guide speaks to you and your loved one.

• Is the tour guide listening and responding to your needs and questions.
• Does the tour guide speak only to you, or do they make an effort to include your loved one?
• Are the residents interacting with one another?
• Are the care partners respectful and patient when they talk to the residents?
• Do you hear any arguments between the staff members and management?

What’s That Smell?

Not all assisted living facilities have a lingering musty or greasy odor — only ones that have a cleanliness problem do. The way an assisted living facility smells can tell you a lot about the place, the people who work there, and the quality of service provided.

• Does the community smell fresh and clean?
• Do you smell the odor of spoiled food coming from the kitchen?
• Does the food smell appetizing?
• Do you smell soothing aromas or diffused essential oils?
• If it’s a pet-friendly community, do the pets smell like they’re groomed often?

Are You Going to Eat That? 

Eating a healthy, balanced diet is important for everyone, but seniors are at greater risk of failing to the meet their nutritional needs and being misdiagnosed with various illnesses as a result. That’s why the quality and taste of the food is very important when selecting an assisted living facility, so make sure you get a chance to try the food.

• Does the food taste good?
• Does the food taste fresh?
• Are the meals nutritionally balanced?
• Does the facility offer special food or a menu for special diets?

How Does That Feel?

Research suggests that the sense of touch plays a fundamental role in human communication and even physical health, yet seniors receive the least touching of any age group. Touch can help lessen pain, slow the heart rate, enhance alertness and performance, and promote overall well-being. Not only is the sense of touch healthy, but it is also a powerful tool for communication.

• Does the community offer touch through massage?
• Do you see activities that encourage nonexploitive touch, like dancing, offered on the activity calendar? 
• Do you see team members offering residents hugs or pats on the back?

Finding the right assisted living facility for your loved one is one of the most important decisions you can make. For more tips, download our eBook How to Find the Best Assisted Living Community, which covers everything you need to know, from when you should start looking to the best way to research options to traits the best assisted living communities share.