Assisted Living Community Evaluation Checklist

 

Assisted Living Environment

 

·         As you arrive at the community, do you like its location and outward appearance?

·         As you enter the lobby and tour the community, is the décor attractive and homelike?

·         Do you receive a warm greeting from staff welcoming you to the community?

·         Does the executive director call residents by name and interact warmly with them as you tour the community?

·         Do residents socialize with each other and appear happy and comfortable?

·         Are you able to talk with residents about how they like the community 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 of the Assisted Living Community

 

·         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?

·         Are handrails available to aid in walking?

·         Are cupboards and shelves easy to reach?

·         Are floors of a non-skid material and carpets firm to ease walking?

·         Does the community have good natural and artificial lighting?

·         Is the community clean, free of odors, and appropriately heated/cooled?

·         Does the community have sprinklers, smoke detectors, and clearly marked exits?

·         Does the community have a means of security if a resident wanders?

 

Needs Assessments, Residency Agreements, Assisted Living Costs & Finances

 

·         Is a residency agreement available that discloses personal care and supportive services, all fees, as well as move-in and move-out provisions? What are the policies for refunds and transfers?

·         Is there a written plan of care for each resident? How frequently is it reviewed and updated?

·         Does the community have a process for assessing a resident’s need for services, and are those needs addressed periodically?

·         Does this periodic assessment process include the resident, his or her family, and community staff, along with the resident’s physician?

·         Are there any government, private, or corporate programs available to help cover the cost of services to the resident?

·         Are additional services available if the resident’s needs change?

·         Are there different costs for various levels or categories of personal care?

·         Do billing, payment, and credit policies seem fair and reasonable?

·         Are residents required to purchase renters’ insurance for personal property in their units?

·         Is there an appeals process for dissatisfied residents?

 

Medication & Health Care

 

·         Does the community have specific policies regarding storage of medication, assistance with medications, training and supervision of staff, and record keeping?

·         Is self-administration of medication allowed?

·         Is there a staff person to coordinate home healthcare visits from a nurse, physical therapist, occupational therapist, etc., if needed?

·         Does the community have a clearly stated procedure for responding to a resident’s medical emergency?

·         To what extent are ancillary services available, and how are these services provided?  Ask if there is an additional charge for any of these services.

 

Assisted Living Community Services & Amenities

 

·         Can the community provide a list of personal care 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, and toileting.

·         Does the community provide housekeeping services in personal living spaces?

·         Can residents arrange for transportation on fairly short notice?

·         Are barber/beautician services offered on-site?

·         Does the community provide scheduled transportation to doctors’ offices, the hairdresser, shopping, and other activities desired by residents?

 

Individual Assisted Living Apartment Features

 

·         Are different sizes and types of apartments available?

·         Are apartments for single and double occupancy available?

·         Do residents have their own lockable doors?

·         Is a 24-hour emergency response system accessible from the apartment?

·         Are bathrooms private and designed to accommodate wheelchairs and walkers?

·         Are residents able to bring their own furnishings for their apartment? What may they bring? What is provided?

·         Do all apartments have a telephone, cable or satellite TV, and internet access? How is billing handled?

·         Is a kitchen area provided with a refrigerator, sink, and cooking element?

·         May residents keep food in their apartments?

·         May residents smoke in their apartments?  In public spaces?

·         May residents decorate their own apartments?

 

Social & Recreational Activities

 

·         Is there evidence of organized activities, such as a posted daily schedule, events in progress, reading materials, visitors, etc.?

·         Do residents participate in activities outside of the community in the neighboring community?

·         Does the community have its own pets?

·         Are residents’ pets allowed in the community? Who is responsible for their care?

·         Do volunteers, including family members, come into the community to help with or to conduct programs?

·         Does the community create a sense of inclusion by encouraging residents to participate in activities?

 

Assisted Living Food Service

 

·         Do dining room menus vary from day to day and meal to meal?

·         Does the community provide three nutritionally balanced meals a day, seven days a week?

·         Are snacks available?

·         May a resident request special foods, and can the community accommodate special dietary needs?

·         Are common dining areas available?

·         May residents eat meals in their apartment or suite?

·         May meals be provided at a time a resident would like, or are there set times for meals?

 

Additional Questions on Assisted Living

 

·         Does the community conduct criminal background checks on employees?

·         Does the community train staff on elder abuse and neglect?  Is there a policy for reporting suspected abuse?

·         Does the community have a special wing or floor for residents with cognitive impairments such as Alzheimer’s disease?  If so, is it secured?

·         Does the community allow hospice to come in and care for residents?

·         Does the community accept long-term care insurance?

·         Does the community allow a loved one, such as a grandchild, to spend the night? Is there a charge?

·         Does the community participate in the Veterans’ Administration Aide and Attendance Program? Will the community help complete the paperwork?

·         Does the community accept Medicaid?

·         What are the most common reasons why a resident may be asked to move out of the community?

 

 

A Simple Transition                             
Lisa Abrams
301-437-6742
561-907-7075

ASimpleTransition@gmail.com

www.ASimpleTransition.com

 

 

 

 

 

 
Reprinted from ALFA  Assisted Living Federation of America

 

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