Questions to Ask While Touring a Senior Living Community

Finding the right senior living community for you or a loved one can be intimidating, as we wrote in a recent blog post which you can read here. However, once you’ve gathered all your information and, narrowed down your list of communities that meet your needs, you’ll want to start touring communities to make sure it’s a good fit. 

Touring an assisted living community allows you to meet the staff, see the amenities, observe residents, and get a feel for the community. We suggest that you ask a lot of questions throughout the process, so you will be confident in your final decision. To help you prep for your visit to the community, we have assembled a list of questions that can reveal the heart of and how it may meet your parent or loved one’s needs. 

Appearance/Physical Features 

Is it a place you could imagine calling home? 

Is the community attractive, would you be proud to call it home? 

Are the grounds, landscaping, and interiors and exteriors well maintained and easy to navigate? 

Are there different areas or floor plans to choose from? 

How is the lighting, smell, and overall noise level? 

Are there common areas and are they well used and well liked? 

What culture sense do you get – is it welcoming, a sense of calm, too busy, too quiet? 

Location and Amenities 

Is the community located near conveniences like a grocery store, doctors offices, pharmacy, hospital, and other attractions?  Is there transportation to get you to these sites? 

Does the community have a unique location that makes it more desirable? Are pets allowed? 

What do the amenities look like? Does it have a spa or fitness center – does it have the services or equipment that you want? 

Does the food/dining meet your tastes and needs? How does the food taste, how often do menus change, when are meals served, is there a coffee shop or café, how are meals served – buffet, sit down, in rooms? 

Do other residents engage in social events? 

Are there any extra charges for additional amenities – like cable TV or Wi-Fi? 

Are there regular events or classes? 

The staff and terms of residency 

What is the staff to resident ratio? 

What type of training does your care staff complete? 

Are staff trained to care for residents with memory loss or Alzheimer’s? 

Are staff onsite 24/7? 

Can staff administer medications, and what is that process like? 

Do you have nurses on staff? 

Do you have an in-house physician? 

What type of security and safety measures do you have in place? 

How do the staff treat each other and residents? 

Do the staff seem happy and glad to come to work? 

Can the staff easily answer all your questions? 

Do the staff talk highly of management and other staff? 

Can you see a sample contract? 

Do you complete an assessment prior to moving in? 

Is there a continuum of care path if you need it? 

What’s included in the monthly fees and how do you pay for them if not covered by insurance? 

Are there certain visiting hours or rules for guests? 

If you are feeling nervous about your tour, please print this list and have it available when you visit a senior living community. CLICK HERE TO ACCESS PRINTABLE QUESTIONS. This way, you won’t forget to ask the important questions that are unique to your situation. If you do forget to ask a question or you need clarification, call, or email the admissions director.  This will also let you know how responsive they are to your concerns.  

At Noble Horizons, we know that the perfect community looks different for each person because the needs of each resident are as unique as our services and offerings. That’s why we encourage every one of our future residents to stop by for a tour, and ask questions that will help them gain a greater understanding of community life, and, ultimately, ensure they find the one that best suits their lifestyle. Come visit Noble Horizons to see just want makes us so special, from our people to our campus, amenities, and expertise.