How to Choose an Assisted Living Residence

The choice to move into an assisted living residence may be one of the biggest decisions that you or your loved one makes. While the decision to move away from a home filled with memories can be difficult, choosing an assisted living residence often allows a senior to explore new and old interests, enjoy friends, and engage in life in a way that was not possible in their previous home. 

There is no clear-cut template that tells a senior and his/her family when a move to a senior living residence is the right choice; however, if a senior is unable to manage a house's upkeep, needs assistance with meals, requires medication management, or is dealing with loneliness or other issues; it might be time to consider a move to an assisted living residence or other senior living environment.

Assisted living residences offer a variety of support services and different programmatic structures. As you consider assisted living, keep in mind that every person is unique just as every assisted living residence is different. When choosing a residence, carefully think about the person’s current and future needs and look for the assisted living residence that offers the best fit. Next, carefully research and visit several assisted living residences. Meet staff. Talk with them, ask questions and discuss any issues you feel might arise. Sample a meal. Observe activities. Make sure you are comfortable with the information you receive.

Checklist for Evaluating and Comparing Assisted Living Residences

Mass-ALFA has designed a Consumer Checklist to help you assess each residence. To compare multiple residences, we invite you to make copies of this checklist to complete while meeting with representatives of prospective assisted living residences. Download Mass-ALFA's Consumer Checklist.