There are going to be a lot of emotions bubbling up inside you when you tour a senior living community—whether it’s for yourself or your loved one. Not all of the emotions will be bad, but not all of them will be helpful, either. It’ll be easy for something important to slide by. It’s a good idea to prepare ahead of time to get the information that you require. Your guide will want to give you as much information as possible to make a good decision, but they may not address all of your questions unless you ask them.

1. Knowing Is Half The Battle

Here is a collection of the most crucial questions you should take with you when you tour an assisted living facility. Whether you’re going on an assisted living Glenview tour or visiting a facility in New York, location doesn’t matter; these questions remain important. Print out the list or jot them down in your journal—leave lots of space for the answers you get, and print out multiple sets for your interviews at other facilities.

2. Activities

Activities are important in older age, as it’s crucial to stay active – both mentally and physically. As such, make sure to ask these activity-related questions when visiting an assisted living facility:

• What are the activities that are available to the residents? How often do they occur (daily, monthly, weekly)?
• Is there a regularly posted schedule of events and activities?
• Is transportation provided to the grocery store and other local amenities?
• What are the opportunities for interacting with the surrounding community? Are there scheduled outings?
• Are there opportunities for volunteering in the surrounding community?
• Is live entertainment regularly on the activities schedule? If so, what kind, and how often?

3. Living Spaces

The place you or your loved one lives in needs to be comfortable, accessible, and a nice place to live overall. Questions you should ask with regards to living space are:

• What floor plans do you offer, and which of them are available soon?
• Do you offer furnished residences?
• Can residents personalize their own spaces? Are there limits to how much they can decorate?
• Are there areas that can be booked by residents for private functions?
• Is internet access provided through the facility? Is the Wi-Fi universal, or are residents expected to provide their own routers?
• What is the policy regarding pets?
• Is housekeeping included?

4. Health Care

Health in old age can be a trickier prospect, but that’s where professionals come in to help. Therefore, get these questions answered when you tour a facility:

• Are there nurses on staff?
• Is there an in-house physician or one on call?
• Is there a designated staff member who can coordinate home health care visits?
• Are services like physical therapy and hospice available?
• Does the facility offer incontinence supplies in case residents need them?
• Does each resident have a written plan of care?
• Do you provide transportation for doctor’s appointments?

5. Nutrition

A good diet is also part of good health in older age, which is why these questions pertaining to nutrition need to be answered when you visit a prospective facility:

• How what’s the meal schedule, and how many meals are offered daily?
• Are there snacks available for residents?
• Are meals provided at varied times, or are there set times for meals?
• What is the meal situation for holidays?
• Is it possible for meals to be tailored to a resident’s specific needs?
• Are residents permitted to take food to rooms?
• How is resident nutrition ensured?

6. Staffing

An assisted living facility isn’t an assisted living facility without staff on hand to help when residents need it -after all, that’s why they’re there, for the extra help with day-to-day life! As such, be sure to ask these questions:

• Are staff members on-site all day, all week?
• Have staff members been background checked?
• What training does the staff undergo to identify elder abuse and/or neglect?
• What is the process to report suspected abuse?

7. Miscellaneous

Last but not least, a few uncategorized questions need to be asked to ensure an assisted living residency is right for you or your loved one. Don’t forget to ask:

• Are occasional overnight guests permitted to stay?
• Are visitors allowed whenever, or are there specific visiting hours?
• What religious services or spaces are available on-site or near the facility? Often, religion is important to elderly people, which is why a good facility will accommodate their practice.
•  Are there any other additional fees?

Of course, if you have more questions, don’t hesitate to ask. All communities for seniors should be more than happy to accommodate you, answer your questions, and make your visit more enjoyable. Overall, asking all of the above questions should help you decide if an assisted living facility is right for you or your family member. If you don’t like the answer to any of these questions, it may be worth looking elsewhere for a facility that best suits your or your loved one’s needs.