Evaluating An Assisted Living Facility - A Check List

The following checklist, is an excerpt from the Assisted Living Federation of America’s Guide to Choosing an Assisted Living Residence. 

Atmosphere

• As you arrive at the residence, do you like its location and outward appearance?
• As you enter the lobby and tour the residence, is the decor attractive and homelike?
• Do you receive a warm greeting from staff welcoming you to the residence?
• Does the administrator/staff call residents by name and interact warmly with them as you tour the residence?
• Do residents socialize with each other and appear happy and comfortable?
• Are you able to talk with residents about how they like the residence and staff?
• Do the residents seem to be appropriate housemates for you or your loved one?
• Are staff members appropriately dressed, personable, and outgoing?
• Do the staff members treat each other in a professional manner?
• Are the staff members that you pass during your tour friendly to you?
• Are visits with the resident welcome at any time?

Physical Features

• Is the community well-designed for your needs?
• Is the floor plan easy to follow?
• Are doorways, hallways, and rooms accommodating to wheelchairs and walkers?
• Are elevators available for those unable to use stairways?
• Does a physician or nurse visit residents regularly to provide medical checkups?
• To what extent are medical services available, and how are these services provided?
• Are handrails available to aid in walking?
• Are cupboards and shelves easy to reach?
• Are floors made of a non-skid material and carpets firm to ease walking?
• Does the residence have good natural and artificial lighting?
• Is the residence clean, free of odors, and appropriately heated/cooled?
• Does the residence have sprinklers and clearly marked exits?
• Does the residence have a means of security if a resident wanders?

Needs Assessments, Contracts,Costs & Finances

• Is a contractual agreement available that discloses healthcare and supportive services, all fees, as well as admission and discharge provisions? What are the policies for refunds and transfers?
• Is there a written plan for the care of each resident?
• Does the residence have a process for assessing a potential resident’s need for services and are those needs addressed periodically?
• Does this process include the resident, and his or her family and facility staff, along with the potential resident’s physician?
• Are there any government, private, or corporate programs available to help cover the cost of services to the resident?
• Make sure you have calculated all the various costs.

Services

• Is staff available to meet scheduled and unscheduled needs?
• Can the residence provide a list of services available?
• Is staff available to provide 24-hour assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs) if needed? ADLs include dressing, eating, mobility, hygiene and grooming, bathing, toileting, using the telephone, shopping, and laundry.
• Does the residence provide housekeeping services in residents’ units?
• Can residents arrange for transportation on fairly short notice?
• Are pharmacy, barber/beautician, and/or physical therapy services offered on-site?

Source: © Copyright 2007 Assisted Living Federation of America, www.alfa.org (Original title: Guide to Choosing Assisted Living Residence: Consumer Checklist)