Your family’s next steps, in one place.

1. Care-level explainer

Pick the category that matches what is happening now. A community still has to confirm it can safely provide that care. Typical monthly ranges on Haven care pages are planning figures, not a quote.

2. How to read CMS nursing-home records vs state assisted-living licenses

Source: CMS Care Compare / Provider Information. medicare.gov/care-compare. A public record is not a live opening, an all-in price, or a Haven recommendation.

3. Written all-in price request

Send this as an email or print it and hand it to the sales director. Fill the brackets. Use the same script for every community.

Hello — I am comparing a small set of communities for a parent and I need the all-in monthly cost in writing before we tour.

Please send, on letterhead or by email, for the unit type you would actually offer:

1. Base rent (and what it includes)
2. Care-level or points charge for the needs described below
3. Medication-management fee
4. Community / entrance / second-person fees, and what is refundable
5. Typical annual rate-increase history for the past three years
6. What would change the price after move-in, and who decides

Needs in one sentence: [ADLs, medications, mobility, memory, overnight help].
Target move window: [date]. Please date the quote.

Thank you — I will use the same questions with every community.

4. Four-community comparison worksheet

Write answers in the same row for every building. Empty cells are information, not a reason to guess.

5. Tour questions

Ask for numbers, not reassurances. The free guide Questions to Ask on a Senior Living Tour has the longer version.

1. How many caregivers are scheduled for how many residents at 2 p.m.? At 2 a.m.?
2. Are overnight staff awake and in the building? Is a licensed nurse on-site or on call?
3. What was caregiver turnover over the past 12 months?
4. How long have the executive director and the director of nursing or wellness been here?
5. What were your actual rate increases in each of the past three years?
6. What does the base rate exclude — medication management, incontinence care, escorts to meals, laundry?
7. What triggers a care-level reassessment, and can family be present?
8. Which conditions trigger an involuntary move-out? May I have that in writing?
9. If savings run out, do you accept Medicaid, and after how many years of private pay?
10. Can residents stay here on hospice?

What to observe

• Cleanliness: note persistent odors and ask how cleaning, continence care, and resident comfort are supported.
• Call lights: if you see one on, quietly time it.
• Grooming: are residents shaved, nails trimmed, hair combed, dressed in daytime clothes?
• Daily life: are residents offered activities and choices that match their interests and abilities?
• Staff: do they greet residents by name and knock before entering — even on your tour?

6. Seven-day action plan

1. Day 1

   Start with your loved one’s needs

   Write down the daily support your loved one needs and what matters to them. Use the free assessment to prepare questions, then discuss care needs with a qualified care professional.

2. Day 2

   Gather available care records

   For nursing homes, open CMS Care Compare: overall, inspection, and staffing stars plus the latest survey. For assisted living, there are no CMS stars — look up the state license and inspection report, or request it. Keep source, date, and scope next to each fact. Never average them into a homemade score.

3. Day 3

   Send the all-in price script to 2–4 communities

   Ask each community for the same itemized pricing details. Include rent, care charges, medication fees, and one-time fees. Record the date and ask how changes in care needs could affect the total.

4. Day 4

   Tour two communities — scheduled, then ordinary life

   Eat a meal, sit in on an activity, ask the staffing questions. If you can, return unannounced on an evening or weekend. Watch who is actually on the floor, not the model apartment.

5. Day 5

   Tour the rest of the shortlist the same way

   Use the same questions at each visit and record your impressions while they are fresh. Compare your loved one’s preferences alongside the services, costs, and care information.

6. Day 6

   Compare on paper

   Staffing by shift, turnover, three years of increases, all-in monthly after assessment, discharge triggers, Medicaid policy. Public records are not a live opening or a care-fit decision — the community still has to confirm both in writing.

7. Day 7

   Review the plan together

   Discuss the options with your loved one and the people helping them. If a discharge is approaching, work with the treating and discharge teams on the immediate plan. Ask any remaining questions and read the residency agreement before signing.