Updated: April 2026
Thinking about moving your loved one into assisted living brings up many emotions that can make the process feel challenging or delay the decision, even when it’s clear that it may be the next best step.
Seniors may fear that assisted living will mean a loss of independence. They don’t want to give up their autonomy or sense of identity. Thinking about leaving a beloved home can elicit significant grief, which is only amplified by the sense of ending a chapter. And facing something completely unknown can spark anxiety—what if you don’t fit in? What if you feel isolated? The unknown can create hesitation and avoidance for the whole family.
On this page, you will find guidance for making informed decisions by using convenient checklists to compare and get a firm sense of what to expect in each assisted living community your family might be considering. You’ll also learn helpful questions to ask when touring specific locations, as well as information about contracts and potential costs.
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Assisted living tour checklist: What to look for during your visit
Having a clear, targeted assisted living checklist with questions to ask at each community you visit will help you make informed comparisons among your options. This can help you evaluate each community more consistently, remember everything you need to know, and get answers to your questions.
Given how much emotion can come with this decision, it can feel reassuring to move forward with clarity and thoughtful preparation. Use our checklists below to help guide your preparation.
Download and take a look at our brochures for our communities in Massachusetts (The Arbors) or in Connecticut (The Ivy).
Questions to ask before your tour
Before you visit, consider meeting as a family to make some key assessments and decisions about what is important to your loved one and your family. Choosing an assisted living community is a big step, and you don’t want to rush the process. Give yourselves a chance to make the most of the information-gathering stage.
Think about your unique situation, needs, and wants, as well as the practical side. For example, before learning the fees and structures at each place you visit, have a solid understanding of your budget.
Here are some things to think about before you visit:
- What is your budget?
- What are the things that matter most to your loved one in terms of quality of life?
- What concerns or hopes do you have about future changes in the level of care?
- How involved does the family want to be in decision-making?
- What do you need to know from the places you are considering to make this transition feel right and positive?
Choosing assisted living in Massachusetts and Connecticut is an important decision and one that deserves thoughtful consideration.
Questions to ask about care, staffing, and daily support
You’ll be eager to learn about the level of care your loved one will receive daily and what the staff is like. Once you have reviewed the signs that it’s time for assisted living, consider these questions to ask each assisted living community when you visit:
- What levels of care are available within the community?
- Is support offered for daily routines like bathing, dressing, grooming, and personal hygiene?
- How flexible are care plans? Can daily routines be personalized?
- In what ways does the community support residents in maintaining their independence?
Linked closely to the above, you’ll want to understand more about staffing and support:
- What is the staff-to-resident ratio during the day, at night, and on weekends?
- Is a licensed nurse available on-site at all times?
- What training and certifications do caregivers have?
- What does staff turnover look like within the community?
- How are team members screened and background-checked?
- Will you see familiar faces each day, or does staffing rotate frequently?
Questions to ask about health services and medication management
Even though an assisted living community is not a hospital, the ability to coordinate and respond to health needs is essential. This also includes thoughtful approaches to preventing falls in assisted living and supporting overall well-being. These questions can help you understand how medical support is managed:
- How is a resident’s care plan created, reviewed, and updated?
- How often are health assessments done?
- Who manages medications (nurse vs. aides)?
- Are there extra fees for medication management?
- What safeguards are in place to prevent errors?
- Can residents self-manage medications if appropriate?
- Can we use our preferred pharmacy?
- What happens in a medical emergency?
- Do you coordinate with outside providers (doctors, therapists, hospice)?
- Are on-site health services available (nurse, PT/OT, podiatry, etc.)?
- How do you handle chronic conditions (e.g., diabetes, mobility issues)?
- How are changes in health monitored and shared with families?
Questions to ask about memory care and future needs
Even if your loved one does not currently need memory care, it is smart to choose a senior living community that offers it, especially if dementia or Alzheimer’s disease runs in the family. Below are some questions to ask about memory care in assisted living:
- If additional support is needed, how is that handled within the community?
- Is memory support available on-site or nearby within your communities?
- How is cognitive decline assessed and supported over time?
- What factors are considered when a higher level of care may be recommended?
- How many residents are in memory care, and what is the staff-to-resident ratio?
- How is your memory care team trained?
- How is nutrition supported for residents experiencing memory loss?
- What types of activities are designed for residents with memory challenges?
- Are there outdoor spaces available, and how are they designed for comfort and supervision?
- How are behavioral changes approached and supported?
- Can couples remain together if their care needs are different?
- What kind of support is available for end-of-life care or hospice services?
When choosing an assisted living community, thinking ahead can help your family feel more prepared. The Arbors & The Ivy offer specialized memory care through the Reflections Memory Program, available at select locations. Programs provide a calm, structured environment with thoughtful design and consistent routines, sensory engagement, and meaningful activities.
Questions to ask about costs, contracts, and care level changes
Pricing and contract terms vary widely, so clarity up front can prevent surprises later. Some questions to ask about assisted living costs and contracts:
Base costs
- What is included in the base monthly fee?
- What services cost extra?
Additional fees
- Is pricing tiered based on care level?
- What are typical add-on costs (medication management, bathing assistance, escorts)?
- Are there community fees, move-in fees, or deposits?
- Are rates fixed or subject to increases? How often do increases happen?
Contracts & policies
- What type of contract is used (month-to-month vs. long-term)?
- What is the notice period for moving out?
- Under what conditions can the community ask a resident to leave?
- What happens if finances change and a resident can’t afford care?
- Are refunds available (deposit, unused rent)?
- Is long-term care insurance accepted? VA benefits?
Care level changes
- How are care levels defined, and what factors may influence changes in support or cost?
- What are the policies around a short-term hold if a resident is hospitalized?
Assisted living is residential care, not skilled nursing, and many medical insurance plans do not pay for room and board. For help comparing communities, bring a written list of your non-negotiables, then use the same set of questions at each tour so you can evaluate options side by side.
Explore The Arbors & The Ivy assisted living communities
We understand that the decision to move a parent into assisted living is rarely easy. Planning can make the process feel clearer. Decide as a family what factors are most important, both in terms of quality of care and quality of life. Then create your question checklists so that each community tour yields easily comparable information.
We encourage you to contact one of our communities near your family to schedule a tour. When you visit, we will be glad to go over your checklist with you and answer any questions you have about our senior living options and the ways we help our communities feel welcoming and familiar
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