Assisted Living
Assess Providers and Services
Find a list of potential assisted living facilities. This Web site allows you to search for providers by location, provider name, or whether the facility supports clients with Alzheimer's or developmental disabilities.
Get basic information to hone your list. Phone potential facilities and briefly explain the essentials you seek. The first thing to find out is when and whether the facility can take on new residents. Next, ask about specific needs that you have identified and whether it will be able to meet them.
Ask about costs. What is the base price? What is included? Are there added charges for certain personal services? Under what circumstances could rates be increased? Will you have to pay the facility if the resident moves out because he or she is not satisfied or needs more care?
Make an appointment to visit. First call each of the facilities and ask to meet with the administrator and admissions director; request that one of them give you a tour and answer questions about the facility. Visit all the places on your list so you can compare how they look and feel, paying special attention to each the quality of care and the residents' quality of life there. The best time to visit for the first time is on a weekday, in the late morning or middle of the day. Talk with as many people there as possible, and carefully observe what goes on. If the facility seems promising, ask for copies of descriptive brochures, admissions policies, the admission contract, and its resident's rights policy.
Evaluate the staff and standards. Expect the facility to have enough staff to provide clients with individual attention. They should also maintain hiring standards that demand a certain amount of training or experience from employees. They should also know where all staff members have been for the last five years and check for criminal records throughout that period.
Check references. As a practical check on the provider, try to speak with a number of recent or current residents. These people will have the best information about the services that they have received there.
Be mindful of the personal fit. Bring the potential resident on a tour of a facility before signing on for care there, both to help determine whether the place is comfortable for him or her and to begin the process of getting familiar with the surroundings.