You probably wouldn’t buy a house sight unseen if you knew you would spend the majority of your golden years there. Similarly, don’t commit to a senior living facility until you’ve researched and toured multiple options to find the right atmosphere for you or your loved one.
To help you narrow down your choices, here are 15 things to look for and questions to ask when touring senior living communities. You can also download a list of these questions to take with you on your visit.
[READ: Nursing Homes vs. Assisted Living.]
1. How Do You Feel When You Enter a Facility?
Touring a senior living facility begins with your first footstep.
— What’s it like when you walk in the door?
— Does friendly staff greet you?
— Is the building full of natural light and inviting furniture?
— Does the facility feel homey or institutional?
— Can you picture your loved one thriving in this community?
If you have a gut feeling that something doesn’t feel right, that’s your first red flag.
Ensure your loved one will be placed in a positive environment with staff and residents who look engaged and content.
[Read: What Is Life Like in Assisted Living?]
2. Are Common Areas Inviting?
Residents of senior living facilities spend almost as much time in common areas as in their individual rooms. When these spaces are lively and welcoming, older adults feel more at home.
Common areas in senior living facilities may feature:
— Outdoor patios and walkways
— Living room areas with inviting fireplaces and comfortable seating
— Areas to watch television
— Spaces to listen to music, play games and participate in activities
Observe the residents in the common areas. Although residents may enjoy watching some of their favorite television programs, the staff should still try to engage them in mentally stimulating activities.
Ask to speak with the activities director or view the activities calendar to determine if there are pastimes your loved one would enjoy.
[READ: Dementia Care Activities]
3. How Do the Resident Rooms Feel?
When touring an assisted living community, rooms should feel like a bedroom, not a hospital room.
Inviting rooms feature:
— Tasteful and clean furniture
— Windows and soft lighting
— Touches from home, such as a quilt, family photos or a few treasured collectibles
— A few activities easily in reach, such as a television, books or a radio
Pay attention to staff you see entering resident rooms.
— Do they knock, even if that resident is unlikely to respond?
— Do they greet the resident by name when entering into their personal space?
— Do they wash or sanitize their hands upon entering the space?
You’ll also need to ask if the facility requires you to bring furniture or if the rooms are fully furnished.
4. Is the Level of Care Offered Right for Your Loved One?
Not all senior living communities offer the same scope of care, so make sure to confirm the offering is right for your loved one.
Levels of care include:
— Independent living, such as at a stand-alone community or a continuing care retirement community
— Skilled nursing or nursing homes
Make sure your loved one undergoes a functional status assessment to determine the level of care they need.
“This is done by a physical therapy or occupational therapy team. Once you know this crucial information, ask the senior living facility representative if their facility covers those needs,” says Dr. Dona Uncheselu, a hospice and palliative care physician at Parkview Health in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Depending on the state, inability to do one activity of daily living (ADL) may be enough to be eligible for nursing home living, but usually it is the inability to do two or more ADLs that is the deciding factor, adds Marilyn Gugliucci, a professor and the director for geriatrics education and research at the University of New England in Portland, Maine.
5. Are the Care Plans Personalized?
A care plan is a written outline that details elements of your loved one’s care, such as:
— Medical oversight needed
— Daily mobility support
— Dietary needs and preferences
— Medication schedule
— Therapy and activity needs
A comprehensive care plan outlines both personal preferences, such as when the resident prefers to have their shower, and clinical progress, such as when to reevaluate a resident’s mobility.
6. Are There Signs the Facility Is Short-Staffed?
If the staff appear overworked or uninterested in the care of the residents, that’s a sign that your loved one will not receive the care they deserve.
From observations alone, you won’t be able to fully understand how well the facility is staffed. Make sure to also ask:
— How often do the physicians make their rounds?
— How many residents are assigned to each nurse? Nurses are responsible for administering medications, monitoring your loved one’s care plan and performing nursing care, such as catheter changes, infusions and wound dressings.
— How many residents are assigned to each nursing assistant? Nursing assistants help with the majority of your loved one’s ADLs, such as getting dressed, walking, eating and bathing.
— How often do therapy services meet with residents? This may include physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech-language therapy.
These questions reveal how hands-on a facility is. In the same vein, pay attention to how staff handle resident falls. Falls are the leading cause of injury-related death among adults age 65 and older, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. To further examine fall policies, ask how resident falls are treated and how many occur each month.
What is a “no lift” policy?
You may also consider inquiring if the facility has a “no lift” policy for their staff, a growing trend in how senior care settings respond to resident falls. A “no lift” policy can be a double-edged sword, so here is what to look for.
| Policy | Purpose | Implementation | Expert Opinion |
| Red flag “no lift” policies |
— To reduce workers’ compensation claims for staff members’ back injuries — To reduce liability for resident injury |
— Staff decline to assist residents who have fallen — Staff call 911 for emergency medical services to lift or move residents every time, burdening local EMS — Residents are left unattended after falls, as staff are unable to assist |
“These policies limit the facility’s liability but may show a tendency toward risk management over resident care,” explains Sean Marchese, a registered nurse at The Mesothelioma Center in Orlando, Florida. “This might be symptomatic of a larger problem within senior living, where revenue often takes priority over caring for residents.” |
| Green flag “no lift” policies |
— Reduction of back injuries in staff — Reduction of injuries in residents — Additional training in safe lifting and transferring |
— Staff are only permitted to move patients with proper lift assistive devices, such as gait belts or Hoyer lifts — Staff receive specialized training in reducing injuries to themselves and residents when moving and lifting — Trained and qualified staff are able to move and lift residents |
These policies are in place most importantly to reduce risk of injuries for the staff and residents, Uncheselu says. There are benefits for staff and residents implementing a no lift policy. |
7. What Does the Dining Hall Feel Like?
When touring a senior living facility, a dining hall should have a cozy, restaurant feel, rather than a cafeteria-like atmosphere. This is important to make a senior living facility feel like home. Signs of a homelike senior dining experience include:
— Natural or soft lighting
— Proper dishes rather than plastic silverware and plates
— A menu for residents to choose from, though options may be limited depending on their dietary restrictions or health conditions. Residents with chewing or swallowing difficulty or kidney failure, for example, may not have full menu access.
— A pleasant aroma that smells like appetizing food
Older adults often struggle to maintain a healthy weight. When the dining hall is inviting and appetizing, it encourages the residents to eat and enjoy their meals. This is especially important because proper nutrition is essential for older adult health. If you schedule a tour in advance, you can ask if the senior living facility can prepare you a sample meal to try with your loved one.
8. Is There Outdoor Space?
Emerging research shows that green spaces are beneficial for mental health. Outdoor spaces might include:
— Outdoor seating for mealtimes or for visiting and relaxing
— Pavilions
— Walking paths
— Gardens
Outdoor space is also important to give the senior living facility more of a welcoming, community feel. It gives residents and visitors more common space to enjoy together.
9. Have You Visited at Different Times of the Day or Made a Surprise Visit?
One question to ask when touring a senior living facility is if you can have scheduled tours at different times of day, suggests Kate Granigan, a Boston-based licensed medical social worker, board president of the Aging Life Care Association and CEO of LifeCare Advocates.
She also recommends an unscheduled visit, if you can. When pursuing this, Granigan advises checking the general visiting hours, which are usually late morning until evening. This is to respect resident privacy during bedtime and morning routines.
“In an unscheduled scenario, be prepared you may need to wait for someone to be available to give you a tour,” she adds.
How long does a typical senior living facility tour take? It depends on how large the facility is, how often you choose to stop and how many questions you ask. Most tours are completed in less than an hour.
10. Do You Notice Signs of Elder Abuse or Mistreatment?
According to the World Health Organization, more than 15% of older adults have experienced some type of abuse in community care settings, such as senior living facilities, in 2023.
Even if the staff respond to you with respect, spending time observing their behavior may reveal occasional abusive interactions.
You may also observe slow responses to resident requests, another common complaint, says Dr. Gary Small, director of behavioral health breakthrough therapies for Hackensack Meridian Health in New Jersey.
Subtle red flags may include:
— Understaffing, which can pressure staff to neglect residents
— Socially isolated or lonely residents
— Poor food quality
— Unsanitary conditions
— Bedsores
Small explains that at nursing homes, for instance, many residents suffer from dementia, a cognitive impairment that makes them dependent on others for care and can cause agitation and aggression. However, he says, “these individuals deserve humane, respectful treatment, which leads to more effective and greater quality of care.”
11. What Safety Measures Are in Place?
Within the community itself and the living spaces, there should be safeguards in place, particularly for residents who might wander. Generally, check if there are:
— Smoke detectors in all rooms and common spaces
— Safety locks on all doors and windows
— Security and fire safety systems in place
— Well-marked exits
— Security on-site or specific hours the main entrance is locked
Resident rooms need certain safety accommodations, such as:
— Nonslip flooring to prevent falls
— Grab bars in the bathrooms
— Raised toilet seats
— Emergency call buttons
You should also ask about emergency and formal disaster preparedness, including what protocols are in place for evacuations or natural disasters, which staff are involved and how to stay in communication.
12. What Sounds Do You Hear Throughout the Facility?
When touring a senior living facility, it’s normal to hear noises like call lights or staff and resident chatter.
Paying attention to these sounds can reveal a lot about the facility. Listen for:
— Resident activity. Do you hear residents talking and laughing? Or are there ignored sounds of yelling and distress from residents or staff?
— Staff communication. Staff need to communicate with residents and visitors in a welcoming and respectful tone.
— Announcements and alarms. Frequent alarms can be disruptive and stressful.
— Music and entertainment. Soft background music and sounds of entertaining activities create an enjoyable and lively atmosphere.
Ask when the facility has quiet hours and what actions they take to avoid disrupting resident sleep.
13. What Smells Do You Notice Throughout the Facility?
Senior living facilities often have a reputation for uninviting smells. Although this is common, it shouldn’t be the norm. Many nursing homes take pride in having a clean-smelling and pleasant aroma.
Take note of smells throughout:
— Common areas. Ideally, the common area should smell like fresh food or clean laundry. Feeling bombarded with the smell of bleach or cleaning chemicals may be a sign they are trying to mask unpleasant smells that the facility hasn’t properly addressed.
— Dining areas. Do meals smell fresh and appetizing? Do you smell garbage?
— Laundry areas. Does the facility do laundry on a consistent basis?
— Pet areas. Is there a space for pets, such as a dog park? If the community allows pets, check that these areas are well-maintained and odor-free.
14. How Do the Residents Look?
As you roam the community, keep an eye out for how the residents appear. Some residents will choose to remain in their rooms during the day, but many of them will be out and about, in the dining hall or in the common areas. As you pass by, do they look well-groomed and dressed? Do they look pleasant and alert?
A resident or two might notice your unfamiliar face, give you a friendly wave and say hi. Feel free to strike up a conversation and ask how they like living there.
15. Is the Community Transparent About Cost?
Senior living facilities have various pricing structures, but the most important aspect is that they offer you transparency with their pricing.
When touring a senior living facility, ask for a clear, written outline of how their pricing works. Pay attention if you sense any evasiveness about annual increases, what is considered an add-on, general billing practices or late fees.
Look for a nonprofit living environment, Gugliucci suggests.
“In nonprofit homes, the funding goes back into the care and infrastructure of the home,” she says. “Be sure the home provides evidence as to where their funding goes.”
Bottom Line
Be sure to tour a senior living facility to ensure it’s the right environment for your loved one. Make observations and ask questions when touring a senior living facility to get perspectives on the staff and other residents who could come in contact with your loved one.
Check online reviews and government ratings for additional insights, and take your tour with those positives or potential negatives in mind.
More from U.S. News
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How to Know Your Loved One Is Getting the Senior Care They’re Paying For
15 Things to Look for When Touring a Senior Living Facility originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 11/14/25: This story was published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
