Questions to ask when touring assisted living
When touring assisted living, ask what care is included in the base fee and what costs extra, how many staff are on duty day and night, how medicines are handled, what happens if needs increase, and what would make a resident have to move out. Ask for the latest state inspection report and the contract to read at home. Visit again unannounced at a mealtime.
Why it matters: A tour shows the lobby; the right questions show the care.
Steps
- Bring your parent's list of needs and what matters to them.
- Ask what care the base fee includes and what each extra level adds.
- Ask how many staff are on duty during the day and overnight, and their training.
- Ask how medicines are stored, given and recorded.
- Ask what happens if needs increase, and what would require a move out.
- Ask for the latest state inspection report and a copy of the contract to read at home.
- Return unannounced at a mealtime and talk with residents and families if you can.
Stop and call a professional if
- the contract has terms you do not understand, such as fees on leaving or arbitration: ask an elder law attorney before signing
Questions to ask the professional
- What would make my parent have to move out?
- Who is on duty at night, and how fast do they answer a call button?
Common mistakes
- Judging by the lobby and the model room.
- Signing the contract on the day of the tour.
- Not asking about move-out conditions.
Outside the US or in another state: Assisted living is licensed by each state, and the rules and inspection reports vary.
Teach this to someone
A one page sheet for showing a friend, a teenager or a parent: what to say, what to show, and one question to check it landed.
Teach: Questions to ask when touring assisted living
What to say
When touring assisted living, ask what care is included in the base fee and what costs extra, how many staff are on duty day and night, how medicines are handled, what happens if needs increase, and what would make a resident have to move out. Ask for the latest state inspection report and the contract to read at home. Visit again unannounced at a mealtime.
What to show
- Bring your parent's list of needs and what matters to them.
- Ask what care the base fee includes and what each extra level adds.
- Ask how many staff are on duty during the day and overnight, and their training.
- Ask how medicines are stored, given and recorded.
- Ask what happens if needs increase, and what would require a move out.
- Ask for the latest state inspection report and a copy of the contract to read at home.
- Return unannounced at a mealtime and talk with residents and families if you can.
Where it stops
Stop and call a professional if the contract has terms you do not understand, such as fees on leaving or arbitration: ask an elder law attorney before signing.
Check question
What should you ask for to read at home?
Answer: The contract and the latest state inspection report. They show costs, rules and past problems.
Your checklist
Saved only in this browser.
Quick quiz
Three questions. Your score is saved only in this browser.
Related skills
Sources
- US national aging and caregiver support guidance, 2025. Reviewed September 28, 2026.
Written in our own words from the sources above. It is general information, not advice for your situation; where a professional, your doctor or your lease says something different, follow them.
Last reviewed . First published .