Check the posted menus. Each facility posts an activities calendar. It's crucial to observe some activities. If after several visits all you see is a bored group of residents sitting in front of the television set, you need to ask why the facility is failing to stimulate its residents. The formal, announced visit After you've made visits incognito, ask for an official appointment with the administrator of the facility.
Good care starts at the top.
Probe the administrator's philosophy of care and ask how this is communicated to the staff. Ask what the staff does to show the residents affection and respect for their dignity. Ask about any problems you've observed or deficiencies noted on the state survey. Changes of ownership are common in the nursing-home business. Stability may mean that the care is better.