What should be prepared before the tour?
Before touring an assisted living community, write down the person’s current needs, likely future needs, budget concerns, and daily preferences. A written list helps families compare communities based on care and fit rather than appearance alone.
Consider bringing:
- A current medication list
- A summary of mobility, bathing, dressing, toileting, and eating needs
- Questions about memory loss, falls, diabetes, or other health concerns
- A monthly budget range
- Notes about preferred routines, hobbies, meals, pets, transportation, and visitors
- A notebook or phone for recording answers
It can also help to tour at different times of day. A scheduled visit may show a carefully prepared setting, while an unscheduled observation—where permitted—can reveal more about normal activity levels, noise, staffing, and resident engagement.
Is the community licensed for the level of care needed?
Ask, “What type of license does this residence hold, and what level of care is it authorized to provide?”
Pennsylvania distinguishes between personal care homes and assisted living residences. Both provide housing and support with daily activities, but assisted living residences may be designed to serve people with higher care needs who do not require 24-hour nursing care. Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services licenses and inspects these settings. ([pa.gov](https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dhs/resources/aging-physical-disabilities/personal-care-homes?utm_source=openai))
Ask to see:
- The current license or certificate of compliance
- The most recent inspection results
- Any plans of correction or unresolved findings
- The process for reporting concerns or complaints
Licensing is only a starting point. A residence may be properly licensed but still not be the right match for a person’s medical, emotional, or social needs.
What care is included, and what costs extra?
Ask for a written list of services included in the basic monthly fee. Then ask how additional charges are calculated.
Questions may include:
- Is help with bathing, dressing, toileting, or transferring included?
- Are medication reminders or medication administration billed separately?
- Is there an additional fee for incontinence care?
- Are escorts to meals, activities, or appointments included?
- How are care levels determined?
- Can care fees increase if needs change?
- Are there one-time admission, assessment, move-in, or discharge charges?
- What happens if a resident’s funds run low?
Some Pennsylvania personal care homes and assisted living residences are primarily paid privately, and payment rates are generally set by the facility. Families should request a complete fee schedule instead of relying on a starting monthly price. ([pa.gov](https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dhs/resources/aging-physical-disabilities/personal-care-homes?utm_source=openai))
Ask for examples using the prospective resident’s actual needs. “What would the monthly cost be for help with a shower three times a week and medication administration?” is more useful than asking only for a base rate.
How many staff members are present during each shift?
Staffing should be discussed by time of day, not only as a general community-wide figure. Ask how many staff members are present overnight, on weekends, and during meals.
Useful questions include:
- What is the usual staffing level on each shift?
- How many staff members are licensed nurses, medication aides, or direct-care workers?
- Who responds if a resident falls at night?
- Are agency or temporary staff used?
- How are call-offs covered?
- What is the staff turnover rate?
- Who supervises medication administration?
- How long does it usually take staff to respond to a call system?
Observe whether staff greet residents by name, respond calmly, and appear familiar with individual routines. A polished lobby tells less about care than the interactions taking place in hallways, dining areas, and resident rooms.
What happens if care needs increase?
A community should explain clearly which changes in health or behavior it can manage and when a resident may need another setting.
Ask:
- Can the community support increasing mobility or bathing assistance?
- How are falls, wandering, nighttime confusion, or behavioral changes handled?
- Is memory care available on the same campus, and is it separately licensed?
- Can residents receive physical, occupational, or speech therapy?
- What medical conditions or behaviors would require a transfer?
- Who makes the decision that the community can no longer meet a resident’s needs?
- How much notice is provided before a move is required?
A common misconception is that moving into assisted living guarantees care through every stage of aging. It does not. The written residency agreement should explain limitations, transfer policies, and discharge procedures.
What is daily life really like?
Ask to see a typical activity calendar, dining schedule, common areas, outdoor spaces, and a sample resident apartment. Then ask residents and families what they like and what they would change.
Questions to consider:
- Are activities offered every day, including weekends?
- Are activities adapted for people with hearing, vision, or memory limitations?
- Can residents choose when to wake, bathe, and go to bed?
- Are quiet areas available?
- How are religious, cultural, and personal preferences respected?
- Are families welcome during meals and activities?
- Is there safe outdoor access?
- How are transportation needs handled?
For residents in Swoyersville, seasonal conditions may be worth discussing. Ask how the community handles snow, ice, power outages, extreme heat, and transportation interruptions. Also ask whether entrances, walkways, and parking areas remain accessible during winter weather.
How are meals, medications, and health appointments handled?
Meals and medication routines affect safety and quality of life every day. Ask to review a sample menu and explain how special diets are managed.
Specific questions include:
- Can residents choose between meal options?
- How are food allergies, diabetes, swallowing problems, or religious diets addressed?
- Can meals be delivered to a room when someone is ill?
- How are missed meals identified?
- Who orders, stores, administers, and tracks medications?
- What happens when a prescription changes?
- Are residents transported to medical appointments?
- Is a family member expected to arrange transportation?
Ask whether residents may continue using their existing physicians and pharmacies. Also clarify how the community communicates with families after a fall, medication error, hospitalization, or significant change in condition.
What safety and emergency procedures are in place?
Ask to see the emergency plan and learn how it is practiced. Do not settle for a general answer such as “staff are trained.”
Ask:
- How are fires, severe storms, floods, and extended power outages handled?
- Is there backup power, and what equipment does it support?
- How are residents evacuated if elevators cannot be used?
- What is the procedure for a missing resident?
- Are bathrooms and bedrooms equipped with emergency call systems?
- How often are safety systems tested?
- How are family members notified during an emergency?
Check whether hallways are free of clutter, bathrooms have appropriate grab bars, floors are in good condition, and lighting is adequate. Safety details matter particularly for anyone with balance problems or a history of falls.
What should be reviewed before signing?
Request the residency agreement, fee schedule, care assessment, medication policy, discharge policy, and rules for personal belongings before making a decision. Read them away from the tour so there is time to compare terms.
Pay close attention to:
- Notice requirements for leaving
- Refund policies
- Annual or care-related fee increases
- Responsibility for damaged or lost belongings
- Guest and overnight visitor rules
- Room changes
- Pet policies
- Transportation charges
- Dispute and complaint procedures
The strongest choice is usually the community that gives clear, specific answers and documents them in writing. A tour is not only an opportunity to see the building; it is a way to determine whether the setting can provide appropriate care, predictable costs, and a daily routine that respects the prospective resident’s preferences.
