A Few Items to Evaluate on a Community Visit

There are many things to evaluate on community-screening visits. A few things to check for include:

• Cleanliness. You want the place to have a fresh smell. Check on how often housekeeping services are provided and what the laundry procedures are. Be sure furniture has been properly dusted, baseboards cleaned, windows washed, etc.
• Staff friendliness. Observe staff interacting with residents to be sure they are polite and kind.
• Eat a meal there. This is an important aspect for your loved one’s daily life. You want to be sure the food is of high quality.
• Talk with current residents and their family members and ask for honest feedback.
• You may want to call the State Ombudsman for the specific community you are considering and ask for feedback as to what he or she is seeing, and look at the state health department records.