What to Ask When You Tour an Assisted Living or Board & Care Home

Reserve Assisted Living · 2026

Short answer: On a tour, focus on the things a brochure can't tell you: staffing ratios, caregiver experience, how care changes are handled, what's included in the rate, and how the place actually feels. The right questions turn a polished sales visit into real information you can decide on.

Reserve doesn't take finder's fees, so here's the honest list of what to ask.

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Ask about staffing (the most important thing)

• How many caregivers are on during the day? Overnight?
• How long have your caregivers worked here?
• Who administers medications, and how is it documented?
• What's your staff turnover like?

Staffing is the single biggest driver of care quality. A beautiful building with thin staffing is worse than a plain one with attentive, stable caregivers.

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Ask about care and how it changes

• Can you handle my parent's specific needs (list them: mobility, memory, medications, transfers)?
• What happens if my parent's needs increase over time?
• Do you charge extra for higher care levels, incontinence care, or two-person transfers?
• Can my parent age in place here, or would a decline mean moving?

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Ask about daily life

• What does a typical day look like?
• What activities do you offer, and how many residents take part?
• Can I see a sample menu? Can residents get food they prefer?
• How do you handle a resident who's isolating or struggling?

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Ask about money

• What exactly is included in the monthly rate?
• Is there a move-in or community fee?
• What triggers a rate increase?
• Can I see an estimate at my parent's actual care level?

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Ask about the fine print

• What's the notice period to move out?
• What are the grounds for asking a resident to leave?
• How do you communicate with families about changes?

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And notice what you can't ask about

• Does it smell clean?
• Are current residents groomed, engaged, and calm?
• Do staff greet residents warmly and by name?
• Would you feel comfortable here?

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Compare what you learn

Reserve's directory lets you line up homes and bring the same questions to each — so you compare real answers, not marketing. No finder's fee, no steering.

Reserve Assisted Living — helping families find home.