Assisted Living Tour Checklist: What to Ask Before You Choose

A good assisted living tour is not only about how the lobby looks. Families need to understand whether the community can safely meet today's needs, what happens when needs increase, and how pricing changes over time.

Before the tour

Write a short care summary: mobility, bathing, toileting, memory concerns, medication needs, fall history, diet, social preferences, and any recent hospitalizations. Bring this summary so the community is pricing the real situation, not a generic brochure package.

Care and staffing questions

• What care levels are offered, and how are they assessed?
• Which needs would require private-duty help or a move to another setting?
• How many staff are available overnight?
• Who responds after a fall, behavior change, infection, or hospital return?
• How are medications stored, administered, and reviewed?

Cost questions

Ask for written pricing that includes base rent, care level, medication fees, community fees, deposits, laundry, transportation, incontinence supplies, and annual increases. If memory care may be needed later, ask whether a move inside the community is possible and what the price range is.

Quality and oversight

Assisted living is usually licensed at the state level. Ask for the license type, inspection history, complaint process, and whether the community has had recent ownership changes. For nursing home comparisons, Medicare recommends using Care Compare and reviewing guidance on choosing a nursing home.

Contract questions

• What notice is required before move-out?
• Which deposits are refundable?
• Can rates change after the first assessment?
• What behavior or medical changes trigger discharge?
• Can family review the contract before paying a deposit?

Use YouRetire tools

After each tour, enter the community into the Senior Living Comparison Worksheet. Compare the written price to your Assisted Living Cost Estimator report.