Best 2 Retire

How to Check a Senior Living Community: Inspections, Official Ratings and Questions to Ask

By Abontu LLC · Last reviewed November 8, 2026 · Editorial policy

Choosing a place to live for your later years deserves the same checking you would give a major purchase. The useful part is that official information exists for some types of community and not for others. This guide shows where to look and what to ask. It is general information, not legal, financial or medical advice.

What official ratings exist

  • Nursing homes have federal star ratings. Medicare's Care Compare rates certified nursing homes on health inspections, staffing and quality measures, and shows an overall rating of one to five stars. It also flags homes in the Special Focus Facility program and homes with a citation for abuse. Each nursing home's page also lists the owners and other entities affiliated with it.
  • Assisted living, independent living, 55+ communities and continuing care communities have no federal rating. A federal watchdog report (the Government Accountability Office, GAO-26-107884, 2026) says assisted living is licensed and regulated at the state level and is not subject to the same extensive federal regulation as nursing homes. The quality information for these communities comes from your state and from the community itself.

Websites that show "ratings" or "reviews" for senior living are mostly private companies, and many earn money from referrals. We do not copy their scores. Reading recent resident and family comments can help as one input, but it does not replace an inspection report.

State inspection and licensing

Each state licenses assisted living (the agency and the name of the license differ). Some states publish inspection reports online. These are the searchable pages we found; the list is not complete, and a missing state does not mean it has no reports, so ask the community and your state agency.

Some states work differently. Connecticut licenses assisted living service agencies rather than the building. Hawaii posts a monthly list of licensed facilities. South Carolina says inspection reports are available on request. In every state, ask the community for its latest inspection report and ask the agency about any complaints.

Long-term care ombudsman

Every state has a long-term care ombudsman program under the federal Older Americans Act. Ombudsmen work to resolve problems and complaints for residents of nursing homes, board and care homes and assisted living communities, and they can give you information about a community. Find your state's ombudsman through the Administration for Community Living or call the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116.

Continuing care communities

For a continuing care community, also check:

Questions to ask any community

  • Can I see the most recent state inspection report, and what was done about any problems found?
  • What is staffing like, day and night, and how many staff have left in the past year?
  • What does the monthly fee include? What costs extra? How much did fees rise in each of the last five years?
  • What would make me have to move to another level or building, and who decides?
  • What happens to my money if I leave, change levels, or the community is sold?
  • Is the community owned by a nonprofit, a public company or a private owner, and who manages it?
  • May I have the contract to review with an attorney who works with older adults before I sign?

Medicare, Medicaid and who pays

Medicare covers skilled nursing facility care only after a qualifying hospital stay of at least three days and for a limited time, and it does not pay for long-term custodial care (Medicare.gov). Medicaid can cover some assisted living services in most states but generally not room and board (GAO-26-107884). Rules and amounts change, so confirm them with Medicare and your state Medicaid agency.

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