Sloppy cleaning can give an indication of the type of care. While some residents may have incontinence accidents there should be little or no evidence of these accidents. They should be cleaned up quickly and not just covered up. Be suspicious of strong perfume smells, they may be covering up something. If meals are prepared on site, request a tour of the kitchen, and ask for health department inspection reports.
Food borne illness can be especially hard on seniors.
Safety Falls leading to fracture can shorten a seniors life and decrease quality of life. Long term care and retirement facilities should take safety measures to prevent falls and injury. I recently looked at a retirement living home for my father, and the first thing I noticed was the lack of handrails in the hallways. I immediately eliminated it as a possibility. There should be no throw rugs, if there is carpet it should have a low pile to make walking easier.