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Questions to Ask When Choosing an Assisted Living Community

May 15, 2022

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Finding the right assisted living community for yourself or someone you love takes time, patience and research. However, with this research, you need to know what to consider and what questions you should be asking.

You can learn a lot about potential assisted living communities by reading online reviews and browsing their websites. Still, some of the information you need to make an informed decision can only be found by asking questions. So – what questions should you be asking?

Our team at Franciscan Ministries, with assisted living communities throughout Illinois, Ohio, and Indiana, wants to help you find the right community for you and your family. To do this, we are sharing some questions you should ask each potential community to help you narrow down your search.

Consider Care

Chances are, the support that assisted living communities offer is one of the main reasons you are looking into these options in the first place. With this being said, you want to make sure the community you choose offers care that meets your family member’s or your needs. Some questions to ask in this area could include:

  • What levels of care does your community provide?
  • Is your care personalized to each resident?
  • What is the caregiver to resident ratio?
  • What happens if a resident’s health needs change?
  • Are caregivers available 24/7?

Franciscan Ministries’ assisted living communities offer a comfortable, home-like environment balanced with the right amount of support to help individuals maintain their highest level of independence. Our assisted living communities treat residents like family, personalizing care to their unique needs, lifestyle and passions.

If you require help with your daily routine, our compassionate caregivers can assist with activities like dressing and bathing. We believe that we enhance our residents’ quality of life through our assisted living care while preserving choice and dignity.

Ask About Amenities & Activities

While care may be the focus of a community, this is not all that life in a senior living community is about. Moving to an assisted living community is about improving a person’s overall quality of life, and this is done through engagement and life enrichment opportunities in addition to the care that is provided.

Questions to ask regarding community amenities and activities could include:

  • What types of activities are offered within the community?
  • Do activities ever change?
  • Can I see an activities calendar?
  • Do you plan trips outside of the community?
  • What community amenities are available to residents?

At Franciscan Ministries, our assisted living services are built around the seven dimensions of wellness to help residents discover more purpose and meaning in their lives. For example, if you enjoy exercise, gardening or another hobby, we offer activities that align with your interests. From activities like relaxing yoga classes to fulfilling leisure activities, we strive to help residents reach a higher level of wellness and maintain their independence for as long as possible.

Explore Dining

Nutrition and how we fuel our bodies are essential to our overall health, making dining services a significant part of the senior living experience.

Some of the questions you could ask about a community’s dining experience include:

  • How many meals are included/served each day?
  • Are there specific dining times?
  • Do residents have to eat in a certain area?
  • Are there menu options for each meal?
  • Do you accommodate dietary restrictions or preferences?
  • Can I see a sample menu?

The dining services at Franciscan Ministries’ communities feature well-balanced meals prepared using only the freshest ingredients. Residents enjoy delicious, nutritionally balanced food choices as well as some traditional favorites to ensure their health, along with their taste buds, are always satisfied!

Our dining staff can create the perfect meal to provide exceptional senior nutrition even for those who have some dietary restrictions. Enjoy delicious meals in our dining room by our dedicated team members with a menu that includes a wide variety of options, 365 days a year.


Many factors go into choosing the right assisted living community for you or someone you love. We’ve created a free guide to help you navigate through this time and provide you with information your family needs about choosing a senior living community. Click here to download our Family Decision Workbook.

 If you would like to learn more about our assisted living communities in Illinois, Ohio and Indiana, we invite you to contact our Franciscan Ministries team today.