Questions to Ask on a Senior Living Tour

Before you tour

The most effective tour preparation takes about 20 minutes. Look up the community's license number on SilverTech and cross-reference it with the state licensing database. Pull the most recent inspection report. For nursing homes, check the CMS Five-Star Quality Rating and read the health inspection sub-rating specifically.

You don't need to have a confrontational conversation about what you found. But knowing the regulatory history before you walk in changes what you notice on the tour. A community with a recent deficiency related to medication management will show you — in the way staff talk about it, or don't — whether that issue has been addressed.

Bring a written list of your family member's current care needs: which activities of daily living require assistance, any behavioral symptoms, current medications, and mobility status. Ask whether the community can specifically manage each of these. A vague answer of "of course" is not the same as a specific explanation of how.

Staffing and care quality questions

These are the most important questions on the tour. Ask them directly. Watch how they are answered.

• What is the staff-to-resident ratio on the day shift, evening shift, and overnight? You want the numbers, not a description. "We have excellent staffing" is not an answer.
• Are those ratios guaranteed in my residency agreement, or are they targets?
• How long has the current director of nursing been in this role? And the one before? A pattern of short tenures is a warning sign.
• What happens when a caregiver calls out sick? Do you use agency staff for regular coverage?
• What is the average length of employment for caregivers on this floor? High turnover among direct care staff is the leading cause of inconsistent care delivery.
• Are nurses on-site 24/7, or on-call? In assisted living, this is often on-call. Understand who responds to a medical event at 2 a.m.
• What is the process when a resident's condition changes and more care is needed? Who assesses it, how often, and what does the family notification process look like?

Safety and regulatory standing

• Can I see your current state license?
• Can you provide the most recent state inspection report? If they hesitate, you can get it yourself from the state licensing agency — but the willingness to provide it without hesitation is its own signal.
• Have there been any complaints or investigations in the past two years?
• How do you handle a fall? What is the documentation and family notification process?
• What is your emergency response protocol — call 911, or do you handle some emergencies internally?
• How are medications managed and what safeguards prevent medication errors?
• Who is the owner or operating organization, and are there other communities in the portfolio? Understanding corporate structure can tell you something about how decisions get made.

Daily life and environment

• Can you walk me through what a typical weekday looks like? Ask for specifics — when meals happen, what activities are offered, and who facilitates them.
• Can I see the dining schedule and sample menus? Ask about alternatives for residents with dietary restrictions.
• What does a resident do between scheduled activities? The answer tells you a great deal about the community's philosophy of engagement.
• How are family members kept informed about a resident's daily status and any changes?
• What is the visitor policy? Are there restrictions on visiting hours?
• Can I bring my family member's pet? If applicable.
• What happens if my family member doesn't get along well with a particular staff member or another resident?

Beyond the questions: observe. Are residents visibly engaged or parked in front of a television? Is there visible warmth between staff and residents, or does the interaction feel task-focused? Are common areas in use during your visit? These observations carry more weight than any marketing answer.

Costs and financial terms

• Can I have the complete written fee schedule today? Not the base rate — the full schedule including every service that can be billed separately.
• What is your care level tier structure and what does each tier cost?
• Based on my family member's current needs, which care tier would they start at?
• What is the community fee and is any portion refundable?
• How often have monthly rates increased over the past three years, and by how much?
• What is your policy on rate increases — is there a cap or is it discretionary?
• What is the medication management fee structure?
• What services are typically billed separately that families don't anticipate? A good community will answer this honestly.
• What is the move-out notice policy?
• Can I take the residency agreement home to review before signing? If the answer is no, walk away.

Care transitions and discharge

These questions matter especially if you are considering a community for a loved one with a progressive condition.

• What conditions would require a resident to move to a higher level of care or leave the community? Get specifics, not generalities.
• How much notice is given before a required discharge?
• Is there a higher level of care available on this campus or within the same organization?
• What is the process for a planned transition to skilled nursing after a hospitalization?
• Does the community have a relationship with specific hospitals or skilled nursing facilities for discharge planning?
• What happens if a resident runs out of funds? Does the community accept Medicaid? Is there a benevolence fund? What is the process?

Memory care specific questions

If you are touring a memory care unit or a community with a dedicated memory care wing, add these to your list:

• What specific dementia care training do staff receive and how frequently? Ask for the name of the training program, not just a general description.
• How is the secured environment maintained? Who can enter and exit, and how is elopement prevented?
• What is the protocol for a resident who becomes agitated or physically combative?
• How do you handle sundowning? What staffing adjustments are made in the late afternoon and evening?
• How are behavioral symptoms documented and communicated to families?
• What is the ratio of staff with dementia-specific training versus general caregivers?
• Are there specialized activities designed for different stages of dementia, or is programming one-size-fits-all?
• At what point would this community no longer be able to manage my family member's condition?

After the tour

Write down your observations immediately. Record the answers you received, the questions that were deflected, and your own impressions of the environment. Note whether residents appeared engaged and cared for, and whether staff interactions with residents seemed genuine or procedural.

If you are seriously considering a community, request a second visit during a different time of day — ideally a weekday afternoon during a meal or activity transition. The community will look different from how it looked during a scheduled tour.

Before signing, review the full residency agreement. If there are complex financial terms — particularly for a CCRC — have it reviewed by an elder law attorney. Ask for references from families of current residents, and then also ask families you encounter independently whether they are satisfied.

A community that answers your questions thoroughly, provides documentation without hesitation, and encourages you to take time to decide is showing you something important about how it operates. A community that creates urgency, deflects specific questions, and pressures you toward a deposit is also showing you something important.