How to Tour a Senior Living Community: A Checklist You Can Bring With You
Touring senior living can feel like a big step, especially when you are helping a parent or loved one and emotions are running high. A tour is not just about pretty furniture or a nice lobby. It is your chance to see how daily life really works, how residents are treated, and whether the community feels safe, well maintained, comfortable, and welcoming.
We offer this guide as a way to help you evaluate the senior living communities you will be visiting.
Before You Go: A Little Prep Helps You Notice the Right Things
A good tour guide will answer questions either way, but the best tours happen when you arrive with a few basics in mind. It keeps you from forgetting the “big” questions once you are standing in a beautiful dining room.
Quick prep checklist
☐ Bring a notebook or notes app
☐ Bring your phone to take photos of room layouts (if allowed)
☐ Bring a list of medications and care needs if you are touring for assisted living
Ask these questions when you schedule your tour
☐ Can we tour during a typical time, like lunch or an activity?
☐ Can we see the apartment style we would actually choose?
☐ Can we stop and speak with residents along the way if they are open to it?
First Impressions: Do You Feel Welcomed or Managed?
This is the moment to pay attention to how you are treated. Not because you need to be catered to, but because it often reflects how residents are treated too.
Arrival and welcome checklist
☐ You are greeted and made to feel welcome
☐ Staff smile and make eye contact
☐ Your guide listens, does not interrupt, and asks thoughtful questions
☐ You do not feel pressured or “sold”
☐ Staff call residents by name and interact warmly
☐ Residents appear comfortable with staff, not wary of them
Cleanliness and comfort checklist
☐ Common areas look clean and cared for
☐ The building is odor-free (or smells neutral and fresh)
☐ Floors, corners, and bathrooms look consistently maintained
☐ Temperature feels comfortable (not stuffy, not cold)
☐ Lighting feels bright, especially in hallways
Staff & Resident Experience Checklist
Focus on what you see and feel during the tour, including whether the community seems calm, residents look happy and engaged, and staff appear present and respectful.
☐ Staff are on-site and easy to find
☐ Staff are polite, patient, and respectful to residents
☐ Residents seem comfortable and “at home”
☐ You see residents participating in activities or chatting with staff
Touring the Apartment: Think Daily Life, Not Just Square Footage
Apartment tours can be emotional, especially if your loved one is feeling uncertain about change. Try to focus on practicality and comfort. Would this space support independence? Would it feel safe at night? Could they settle in?
Apartment features checklist
☐ Private bathroom is available (if required)
☐ Bathroom has accessibility features (grab bars/handrails, safe layout)
☐ Lighting is good during the day (natural light is a big plus)
☐ Temperature is comfortable and controllable
☐ Kitchenette setup is clear (sink, refrigerator, microwave, cooking element if offered)
☐ You understand what utilities are included as well as cable and internet options
☐ Storage is adequate (and you understand any locker/storage policies)
Meals and Dining
Food is more than food. It is routine, comfort, social time, and often a major part of quality of life. If possible, tour and have a meal.
Dining experience checklist
☐ Dining room is clean, inviting, and pleasant
☐ Residents seem to enjoy the food
☐ Meal service feels calm and respectful
☐ Meals appear nutritious and appealing
☐ Number of meals per day is clearly explained
☐ Dining hours are posted and reasonable
☐ Family can join residents for meals (ask about guest meals)
Activities, Amenities, and Transportation: Does Life Feel Full?
A good community makes it easy to stay active without making it exhausting. The goal is choice, connection, and purpose.
Activities checklist
☐ You see an activity calendar you can view (and ideally take home)
☐ Activities include social, educational, and recreational options
☐ Residents are encouraged to participate without pressure
☐ There is an activities director or coordinator (ask who runs programming)
☐ Off-site outings are offered (restaurants, community events, cultural outings)
Amenities and social spaces checklist
☐ Common spaces feel homelike, not sterile
☐ Outdoor green spaces or walking areas feel secure and welcoming
☐ Amenities you care about are available (fitness, library, salon, worship services, etc.)
☐ Pet-friendly policies are clear if pets matter to you
Transportation checklist
☐ Transportation is available for shopping and appointments
☐ Transportation scheduling is explained clearly
☐ You understand what is included and what may cost extra
Care and Support: If Needs Change, What Happens Next?
Even if you are touring independent living, it helps to understand how the community supports changing needs. Families often want to avoid “moving twice” if health declines after move-in.
Care levels checklist (ask what applies)
☐ Care levels offered are clearly explained (independent, assisted, memory care, etc.)
☐ They explain what happens if care needs increase
Assessment and care planning checklist (If the resident is going to assisted living)
☐ An initial assessment of needs is completed and an initial care level is provided
☐ Reassessments happen regularly, not only when there is a crisis
☐ The resident and family are included in planning conversations
☐ Care feels personalized, not one-size-fits-all
☐ Medication management is explained (who does it, training, process)
Safety and Emergency Readiness
Families sometimes hesitate to ask safety questions, but this is one of the most important parts of any tour. A strong community should explain their systems confidently and clearly.
Building safety checklist
☐ Exits are clearly marked
☐ Hallways are well lit and easy to navigate with a walker, wheelchair or scooter
☐ Handrails are available in hallways and key areas
☐ Outdoor spaces (if available) feel secure and easy to access
Security and access checklist
☐ You understand how doors are secured at night
☐ Visitor rules are clear (hours, sign-in, expectations)
☐ You know who will have keys or entry access to the apartment
☐ The community staffs their front desk 24 hours per day
Emergency systems checklist
☐ Emergency call systems are visible and easy to reach
☐ Emergency procedures for medical issues are clear
☐ You feel comfortable with how the community is prepared to handle emergency situations
Pricing and Contracts: Look for Clarity, Not Just a Monthly Number
Many families leave tours feeling good about the community but unclear about the real cost. This section helps you walk away with specifics.
Pricing clarity checklist
☐ Monthly pricing is explained so you understand what is included in the monthly fee
☐ All additional fees are disclosed (community fees, second person fees, care level charges)
☐ Billing and payment policies are explained clearly
☐ Deposit and move-in costs are spelled out
Schedule a tour with the community you are most interested in and bring this checklist with you so you can focus on what matters most to you and your family.
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