Board and care tour checklist
Bring this list when you visit a home. Check each box as you go and write the answers down; it makes comparing homes much easier. Visit at least twice if you can, once at mealtime.
Tip: print this page or save it as a PDF and bring it with you.
Staff
- Is a staff member awake all night, every night? (Not just "on call" or asleep in the house.)
- How many caregivers are on duty in the day, the evening and overnight, for how many residents?
- Who is in charge when the administrator is away? How long have the caregivers worked here?
- What training do caregivers have, especially for dementia and for helping someone move safely?
- Do the caregivers speak my loved one's language?
Care fit
- Can the home handle my loved one's mobility: walker, wheelchair, help getting in and out of bed (transfers)?
- Does the home have state approval to care for people with dementia? Can it handle wandering or confusion at night?
- Does the home have a hospice waiver, so my loved one can stay here if they go on hospice?
- How are medications stored and given? Who orders refills? What happens if a dose is missed?
- What care needs would make my loved one have to move out?
- How does the home work with doctors, home health and hospice? Who drives to appointments?
License and inspection record
- Is the license number posted, and does it match the state's records? (It's on every RoomsInView listing.)
- Look up the home's inspection reports on the CDSS website. Type A citations are the serious ones: an immediate risk to residents' health or safety. Type B citations are for problems that could become a risk if not fixed.
- Were any complaints substantiated (proven)? Ask the home what happened and what changed.
- Ask to see the most recent inspection report and how any problems were fixed.
Costs
- What does the monthly rate include: room, meals, laundry, housekeeping, medication help, incontinence supplies?
- Which care costs extra, and how much? Get every add-on fee in writing.
- How much did the rate go up in each of the last two years? (California requires at least 90 days' written notice of a rate increase.)
- Is there a preadmission or community fee? How much, and is it refundable? California allows only one, it must be explained in writing, and part of it must be refunded if your loved one leaves in the first months.
- A home may not take a deposit against possible damage. If your loved one pays with SSI/SSP, the home may not charge any preadmission fee or deposit.
- Ask for a copy of the admission agreement to read at home before you sign. Every fee must be in it.
- What notice does the home require before a move-out, and what notice must it give you? (In most cases a home must give 30 days' written notice to ask a resident to leave.)
- Does the home accept the Medi-Cal Assisted Living Waiver, SSI/SSP, long-term care insurance or VA benefits?
Daily life
- Ask to see this week's menu. Can the home follow my loved one's diet (diabetic, soft food, cultural foods)?
- What activities happen during the day? Are residents up and engaged, or mostly in bed or in front of the TV?
- Are visitors welcome at any time? Can family join for a meal?
- Can my loved one bring their own furniture? Is there a private or shared bathroom?
- How does the home keep families informed about changes, falls or hospital visits?
Safety and cleanliness
- Are exits clear and easy to use? Are there smoke alarms and a fire plan?
- Are there grab bars in the bathroom, a walk-in shower and non-slip floors?
- Is there a call button or other way for residents to get help, day and night?
- Is the home clean? Does it smell fresh, without strong odors of urine or air freshener covering things up?
- Are residents clean, dressed and groomed? Do they look comfortable with the staff?
- Is the yard safe, with no trip hazards? For dementia care, are doors and gates secured?
Red flags
- The home won't let you see the whole house, or only lets you visit at set times.
- No one is awake overnight, or the answer about overnight staff is vague.
- Pressure to sign or pay today, or a deposit request for an SSI/SSP resident.
- Fees or care costs that aren't in writing or that change when you ask again.
- Serious (Type A) citations or proven complaints that the home won't talk about.
- Residents left alone, calling for help with no answer, or strong odors.
- More residents than the license allows, or the license isn't posted.
Notes
Worried about care in a home? The Long-Term Care Ombudsman CRISISline is free and answers 24 hours a day: 1-800-231-4024.