For Families
Senior living tour checklist
Questions to ask and things to notice on every tour, so you can compare communities side by side.
- Do you have an opening for the care level we need? When?
- What is included in the monthly rate, and what costs extra?
- How do rates change as needs increase?
- Staffing on days, nights and weekends? Is there a nurse on site?
- How are medications handled?
- What happens after a fall or hospital stay?
- What activities happen on a typical day? Can we see a calendar?
- Can we eat a meal here and see a resident room?
- Do you accept long-term care insurance, VA benefits or Medicaid?
- What notice is required to move out, and what are the fees?
Check their record
Nursing homes: star ratings and inspections on Medicare Care Compare. Florida assisted living and nursing homes: licenses and inspection reports on FloridaHealthFinder. Every community in the Novita Way directory links to these.
Notice while you're there
- Cleanliness and smell
- How staff speak to residents
- Are residents engaged or mostly alone?
- Safety: handrails, call buttons, secured doors for memory care
General information only, not medical, legal or financial advice. Programs and amounts change; confirm with the official source or a qualified professional.