12 Essential Questions to Ask When Choosing a Senior Living Community

Finding the right senior living community all starts with taking a tour. This is the best way to see the community in action, view the campus, and ask team members your questions. However, knowing the essential questions to ask during a tour can feel overwhelming. There’s a lot to consider, after all, from levels of care to community engagement, dining options, and more. 

To help you start your journey, we’ve compiled some essential questions to ask when choosing a senior living community so you can find the right fit that helps your senior family member feel comfortable and engaged.

Questions to Ask When Choosing a Senior Living Community

Senior living is all about community and providing a supportive environment that helps residents thrive. Here are some questions to consider when choosing a senior living community so you can help ensure your family member thrives there.

1. Where are you located?

Let’s start with a basic question—one that covers more than just an address, neighborhood, or city. Just like with any real estate purchase, the location of your family member's senior living community matters. Pick a community in a desirable town or neighborhood that can support a good quality of life and maximize family visits.

Look for an area that suits your family member’s needs and yours. For example, you might choose communities in a favorite city or neighborhood that your family member has ties to, or you might opt for one that will make quick visits easier. Although you won’t always find a community in the exact location you desire, you can narrow down your choices based on how close the location matches your family’s needs.

2. What senior living care options do you offer?

Once you’ve narrowed down locations, find out whether the community can provide the assistance your family member needs both now and in the future. Not all senior living communities are designed to serve every person’s specific needs, and that’s OK. 

Communities offer different types of care so they can best serve their residents. Many senior living communities offer more than one type of care at a single location, providing continuity of care and enabling residents to age in place as their needs change over the years.

Assisted living offers maintenance-free living with access to amenities and services like independent living communities do and with the added assistance and reassurance that around-the-clock caregivers offer. Residents who thrive in assisted living often need some type of assistance with one or more activities of daily living, such as dressing, eating, or showering.

Memory care is specifically designed for those living with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia. Because each person’s needs are different, personalized care plans are critical elements of a memory care program. Personalized care plans consider the whole person—their preferences, needs, wants, and life story—to create a meaningful plan that helps team members know how to best address the person’s needs and build connections with them. 

Independent living is tailored to serve active seniors who are ready to let go of home maintenance chores and discover more time to pursue their passions or hobbies. These communities usually have team members available for security or emergency purposes, but they don’t have on-staff caregivers who provide daily assistance with personal care tasks.

To learn more about which care option may be best for your family member, consult their physician. Their doctor will have unique insights into their current and future care needs and may be able to offer a solid recommendation. Senior living community team members can also provide information and advice on the appropriate care level that fits your family member’s needs.

3. Are there care plans for each resident?

Make sure you have a thorough understanding of the community’s care plans and how they’re created. Each person is unique and has different needs, so it’s important to understand if the care plans are generic or tailored to your family member. For example, at Cedarhurst, we honor each person’s individuality, preferences, and needs, so we strive to create personalized plans based on these factors and the individual’s life story. This helps us create a more purposeful care plan.

4. What are the monthly and additional costs?

Next, review how senior living fits into your family member’s budget. Senior living communities may be more affordable than you expect—especially when compared to the cost of caring for your family member at home. This is a pleasant surprise to many people, but you must still ensure a community’s fees work for your family’s financial situation.

Begin by asking the senior living community’s representative about monthly fees,  precisely what those fees cover, and any additional costs that could arise if your family member’s care needs increase. Explore other options to offset costs by inquiring if the community accepts long-term care insurance or VA benefits.

5. What floor plans do you offer?

The community should have a few different floor plans for private apartments, such as studios, one- or two-bedroom options, and suites. This enables your family member to choose what works best and provides the space they need to feel comfortable and at home.

It’s important to know the dimensions of your family member’s new space, what items are provided, the floor plan’s unique features, and what your family member will need to bring with them. The floor plan will help you and your family member determine where to place items, which is especially important for furniture. However, be mindful of the size of the furniture—too many large items can make the space feel cramped and hard to navigate.

6. What does your activity calendar look like?

Investing in senior living means your family member can enjoy the amenities and activities that come along with the community, including socialization opportunities. Research shows that seniors who feel lonely or are isolated from peers may be at a higher risk for conditions such as depression, heart disease, and cognitive decline. Some of the biggest benefits of senior living are these opportunities for socialization, including having regular interactions with team members and being in a community of friendly neighbors in the same age group who may have similar interests.

Exceptional senior living communities encourage interpersonal growth by curating an activity calendar that appeals to various interests. To determine if the senior living community features interesting events and programs, ask for a copy of the activity calendar. Share the calendar with your family member to take note of any social or learning opportunities they may be interested in. 

Keep an eye out for activities that enhance different dimensions of wellness and are the hallmarks of a well-designed activity calendar, such as:

• Exercise groups or sports teams
• Spiritual or religious activities
• Excursions into the community
• Volunteer opportunities
• Trivia and team-building games
• Live concerts or shows
• Fun social events and gatherings

7. Do you provide transportation?

It’s important to know if the community provides transportation and to where. For example, is transportation provided to the grocery store or just to appointments and events outside of the community? Is there an additional cost? Is transportation only provided at specific times? Make sure you know the full details of the community’s transportation policy and if you may need to assist your family member with tasks such as getting groceries or going to an appointment.

8. What can you tell me about the meals you offer?

For many older adults, preparing meals for themselves three or more times per day is overwhelming. Senior living communities offer a variety of dining options and plans to provide residents with healthy, nutritious meals. For example, at Cedarhurst, we offer all-day dining with breakfast and other familiar favorites served all day. This helps residents eat at the times they’re accustomed to without having to change their routine to enjoy a meal in the dining room.

The culinary teams senior living communities employ take pride in preparing delicious meals for residents. Get to know more about the dining program by asking to see a copy of the community’s weekly menu and looking for delicious and varied options. Menus should be seasonal and offer a mix of comforting favorites and new dishes to try.

During your tour of the dining room, ask about the kitchen team and its commitment to serving residents. The dining room should feel comfortable, welcoming, and social. The dining team should be friendly and committed to excellent service for everyone, no matter their care or nutritional needs. If your family member requires a specialized menu or dining adaptations, inquire if the community can easily meet those needs.

9. What kind of training do caregivers receive?

When seeking the right senior living community, pay attention to the team members who work there. After all, they’re the ones who will be getting to know your family member and caring for them daily. Assess the quality of the team by inquiring about training. Ask if the community provides caregivers with a thorough orientation and ongoing education about senior health topics and interventions. If the answer is “yes,” this can indicate the team is educated and empowered.

In assisted living and memory care communities especially, the foundation of service lies with the caregiver team. For example, at Cedarhurst, all team members in our memory care neighborhoods receive continuous dementia education training, and our managers and life enrichment teams are certified through the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners and are trained in an Alzheimer’s Association-recognized program that focuses on evidence-based Alzheimer’s and dementia care practices.

10. Do you encourage family involvement in community life?

Superior senior living communities encourage family members and friends to do more than just visit on occasion. They want family members and friends to be regularly involved with life in the community. 

Look for communities that encourage family members and friends to visit often and offer special family events. If you’re interested, inquire about family support groups that would meet your needs and confirm that family involvement is encouraged in the care planning process. These observations can determine if leadership at the senior living community values and seeks family input.

11. Are there specific visiting hours?

Make sure to understand the community’s visiting hours. Are visitors allowed at any time, or do you need to follow specific visiting hours? Also make sure to check if overnight guests are allowed, how often, and any rules regarding staying overnight.

12. How do you make the move and overall transition easier?

Ask about the transition or moving process, even before you make your final decision. Moving to a senior living community can be stressful. Exceptional communities will have a plan in place to help your family member feel comfortable, welcomed, and settled in.

Explore how the move-in process is organized and if there’s a specific person to walk your family through it. Also look for special events that may make new residents feel welcome, such as a community welcome committee or a new resident lunch.

How to Choose the Right Senior Living Community for Your Family Member

Finding the right senior living community for your family member is never easy, but it can be simpler than you may think. We take a closer look at the questions you should ask when choosing a senior living community, how to have a conversation about senior living with your family member, and more in our free resource, 5 Steps to Choosing the Right Senior Living Community—download it today and start preparing for this important decision.

This post was originally published in February 2023 and updated in December 2024.