Winston-Salem Senior AdvisorWhat should we check before touring an assisted living home?
Check the state license, the star rating and the date of the latest survey, read any statement of deficiencies, and look at the 36-month penalty list; our facility pages put all of that on one page.
Then you can ask specific questions on the tour instead of general ones.
What questions matter most on a tour?
Ask how many aides and supervisors work each shift, especially nights; how medications are handled; what happens when care needs increase; how much rates have risen in recent years; and whether Special Assistance or Medicaid is accepted.
Ask to see last month's night schedule rather than a ratio.
Should we visit at a particular time?
Yes: visit once at a mealtime and once in the late afternoon or early evening, when staffing thins and residents with dementia are often most restless, and drop by unannounced if you can.
Watch how staff speak to residents and how quickly call lights are answered.
How do we compare a big building with a small family care home?
Use the same checklist for both, then weigh the feel: family care homes are quieter and more personal, while larger adult care homes offer more activities and amenities but less individual attention.
Our assisted living roster filters by license type so you can compare the two kinds side by side.
What should we look for in the residency agreement?
The monthly rate and what it includes, care-level charges, how and when rates can rise, notice and refund terms, the discharge policy and whether the home holds residents' money.
Take it home and read it before signing.
Is a continuing care retirement community a good choice?
It can be, for someone who can still move in independently and afford the entrance fee, because assisted living and nursing care are available on the same campus as needs change.
Ask whether outsiders are admitted straight to the care levels, what happens if money runs out, and whether Medicaid is accepted on the nursing side.
How close to family should the care home be?
As close as possible to the relative who will visit most often, because frequent visits are the best ongoing check on care, and a 15-minute drive gets made far more often than a 45-minute one.
For families split between Winston-Salem and another city, the deciding visitor is usually the one who lives locally. Our county and town pages give straight-line distances from each home to the nearest hospitals, which helps when a parent sees specialists at Baptist or Forsyth Medical Center.
How soon can a parent move in after choosing a home?
Often within a week or two if there is an opening, once the FL-2 is complete, the home has done its own assessment and the paperwork and first payment are settled; a hospital discharge can move faster, a Special Assistance application slower.
Ask the home for its admission checklist on the first visit, and ask the doctor's office how long an FL-2 usually takes. Medication orders and a TB screening are common last-minute holdups.
