How to Tour a Memory Care Facility: An RN's Checklist
Memory care tours look different from standard assisted living tours. You're not just assessing amenities — you're assessing how a community supports someone whose brain is changing. This checklist focuses on the specifics that matter for dementia care.
Before the Tour
Bring a one-page snapshot of your loved one: current medications, behaviors, sleep patterns, mobility, and what brings them comfort.
Visit at two different times of day if possible. Mid-morning and late afternoon (when sundowning often appears) show two very different sides of a community.
Environment & Safety
Are exits secured in a way that feels safe but not institutional?
Is there a secured outdoor courtyard or walking path? Access to outdoors is strongly linked to reduced agitation.
Is lighting bright and even, with minimal glare and clear visual cues for the bathroom?
Are hallways looped (no dead-ends) so wandering residents always return to a familiar space?
Staffing & Dementia Training
What's the caregiver-to-resident ratio in the memory care neighborhood specifically — day, evening, and overnight?
What dementia-specific training do caregivers complete? Ask for the curriculum name (Teepa Snow, CARES, Positive Approach, etc.) and how often it's refreshed.
How does the team handle agitation, refusal of care, or sundowning without resorting to PRN medications?
Programming & Daily Life
Are activities designed for people with cognitive change — sensory, music, movement, reminiscence — or just standard assisted living programming relabeled?
How is dining adapted? Look for contrasting plate colors, finger foods, and staff who sit with residents instead of standing over them.
How are families involved in care planning, and how often?
Health & Medical Response
Is there a nurse on-site or on-call 24/7?
What's the protocol when behaviors change suddenly — and how often does that result in an ER trip vs. an in-house assessment?
Which hospice partners do they work with, and at what point would they recommend hospice?
Nurse-led senior living guidance — no cost to your family
We tour with you, ask the hard questions, and help your family compare options across Scottsdale, Phoenix, Paradise Valley, and Fountain Hills. We lean toward smaller residential assisted living (RAL) homes when they're the right fit — but we'll guide you through any setting, including larger assisted living, memory care, or independent living.
Related Resources
Written from the perspective of Mentoring Our Moments' nurse-led senior care and Residential Assisted Living consulting work. MOM supports families navigating senior living decisions and helps care home owners strengthen the systems, communication, and trust that make healthier transitions possible.