Questions to ask on a nursing home tour

A tour shows things a rating page cannot. You can see how staff speak to residents, whether the building feels clean and organized, and how the facility answers questions.

It is normal to take notes, ask the same question in more than one place, and visit more than one facility. Choosing nursing care for someone you love is hard, and careful comparison is wise.

If you want help understanding ratings before or after a visit, Northhaven Care offers quality and ratings help. We are a free matching service, not a care provider or government program.

Start with the basics of how care is delivered. Ask who will help with bathing, dressing, eating, walking, and medication reminders. Ask how often nurses are on site, including at night and on weekends.

Ask how the facility handles changes in a resident's condition. For example: Who is called if someone becomes weaker, confused, or falls? How are families updated?

Ask what a normal day looks like. What time are meals? How are therapy visits scheduled? How are residents kept active and safe?

The Medicare CMS Five-Star rating has three parts: health inspections, staffing, and quality measures. Staffing often tells you a lot because it shows how much attention residents may get. RN hours per resident per day can be especially useful.

Ask the tour guide to explain staffing in plain words. If they say a staffing ratio, that means how many residents each nurse or aide cares for. Lower ratios may allow more time for each resident, though it is only one part of the picture.

Compare what you hear on the tour with Medicare.gov Care Compare. Ratings vary by state and over time, so use them as a starting point, not a final answer.

Look around carefully. Are hallways clear? Are call lights within reach? Do residents look clean and comfortable? Are common areas tidy? These small details often reflect daily routines.

Ask how the facility prevents and reports pressure sores, infections, dehydration, and falls. Ask how often residents are repositioned, if needed, and how meals are monitored for people who have trouble eating.

You can also ask about visits and resident rights. Can family visit easily? How are concerns shared? Is there an ombudsman contact posted? A long-term care ombudsman is a trained advocate for residents in nursing homes.

Ask for a written list of charges. Costs often vary by state, room type, and the level of care. Skilled-nursing or nursing-home care often costs roughly $7,000-$13,000+ per month, but the real number depends on the facility and how it is paid.

Ask what Medicare may cover if the person is there for short-term skilled care after a qualifying hospital stay. Medicare can cover up to 100 days in some cases, with cost-sharing after day 20. Ask the facility to explain what they expect Medicare to pay and what the family may owe.

Ask whether the facility accepts Medicaid and how Medicaid applicants are handled. Medicaid covers long-term nursing care for people who qualify based on income and assets, and rules vary by state. Immigration status is separate from the care decision, and help is often available in the family's language.

After the tour, compare the same questions across facilities. Write down clear facts, not just first impressions. Look at staffing, cleanliness, communication, and whether the answers were direct.

Be cautious of anyone who guarantees an open bed, an admission, a price, or a specific outcome. No one can promise that. A good facility should be clear about what it can and cannot do.

If you want help organizing choices, reading ratings, or finding facilities to compare, you can get matched. Northhaven Care is a free matching service, not a care provider. Some participating facilities pay us a flat fee to be matched, and that never changes what the family pays or how we explain Medicare or Medicaid.