You know the popular idiom, “If you've seen one, you've seen them all”? That could be said of a mall. A mall’s a mall, right?

When it comes to assisted living facilities, you can throw that expression out the window. If you’ve seen one assisted living facility, you’ve only seen one assisted living facility.

There Is No Standardization

There is no standard for assisted living facilities. They vary in size, appearance, cost, and services offered. Some residences provide only meals, basic housekeeping, and help with the activities of daily living. Others go beyond these services and offer transportation and certain health services.

Facilities range from small homes with just a few residents to high-rise apartment-style buildings with hundreds of residents. Living areas could be a single room or a full apartment with a small kitchen, with prepared meals also served in a common dining area.

That’s why the best way to find the right community is to visit. Interact with current residents, observe how the care partners interact with one another and those they care for, talk to team members and the director, and ask lots of questions.

Touring the Best Assisted Living Facilities

At the best assisted living facilities, the tour starts with a warm handshake and a smile, followed by a conversation where the tour guide gets to know you and your family, and takes time to understand your interests and needs.

If your visit doesn’t begin with several questions about your family, your loved one, and the type of community you are looking for, be cautious that the community isn’t truly focused on your needs, wants, and desires but instead is more focused on showcasing what they have to offer.

Once you’ve had a chance to share what is really important to you in your search for the right community, it’s time for you to start asking the questions.

Take these questions along with you and make sure you get the answers. This will help you compare communities and decide on the community that’s right for your loved one.

As you’re asking questions and touring the community, pay attention to how the community feels to you. Get answers to the logistical questions, but also listen to your gut instinct.

Safety and Security

• Is the community locked at a certain time in the evening/night?
• Do rooms and bathrooms have handrails and call buttons?
• How does my parent call for help if they need something?
• Are there security and fire safety systems?
• Is there an emergency generator or alternate power source?
• Are there any concerns about the neighborhood the community is in? If so, how are these addressed?

The Team Members

• What do you like about your tour guide?
• Do other team members acknowledge you? Do they strike up conversation when appropriate?
• Are they engaging with the residents?
• What kind of training do they receive?
• Is there specialized training if they care for someone with memory loss?

Dining

• Does the community cater to specific dietary needs or special requests?
• Do the residents seem to like the food?
• If you are visiting during a meal, is the aroma pleasant?
• Is the menu diverse and healthy?

Recreation and Activities

• Is there a posted, varied schedule of activities?
• Are there activities that you think your loved one would participate in?
• How often are off-site outings offered?
• Are there any additional costs for certain activities?
• How are residents reminded of daily activities?

Quality of Care

• What’s the ratio of staff to residents?
• How many staffers are on duty overnight?
• What’s the staff turnover rate?
• How much training do team members have?
• Is an initial assessment of needs conducted and a written care plan developed? Who’s involved in developing the care plan? How often are the needs reassessed?
• What specific care is available from doctors, nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and others?
• What additional services are available if the needs of a resident change?
• At what point would your loved one have to consider a move somewhere else?

Living Options

• How many living units are in the residence?
• What types of apartments are available? Are the rooms large enough for your loved one’s needs?
• Are there kitchens or kitchenettes?
• Are there enough common areas, such as dens and living rooms?
• What is the monthly cost per apartment type?
• Are all services included in the monthly fee? If not, what and how much are additional services?
• Is care priced separately? If so, how is it priced?

Additional Questions You May Want to Ask

• Is the community pet-friendly?
• Are couples able to stay together even if they have different care needs?
• Do they offer short-term respite stays so your loved one can give the community a try?
• Under what conditions would a resident have to leave the residence?
• Are transportation services provided? Is there a parking fee for residents?

In many cases, once you have narrowed down your options to your top selections, it’s a good idea to visit the communities once again. Pick a different time of day so you can see how it compares to the first visit.

Unannounced visits are helpful because they allow you to see the assisted living facility and the team members during their regular mode of operation rather than during what might have been a carefully prepared visit. 

For more tips — from when you should start looking to the best way to research options to traits the best assisted living communities share — download our eBook How to Find the Best Assisted Living Community.