Nursing Home Checklist
A nursing home checklist for certification, ratings, inspections, staffing, rooms, safety, dementia care, activities, costs, policies, and visit notes.
Built for nursing home tours and family comparison: certification, ratings, inspections, staffing, rooms, safety, dementia care, resident rights, costs, policies, and visit notes.
Checklist formats
Edit online, print, or save this template
Start with the ready-made nursing home checklist, customize the tasks, then print a clean copy or save it as a PDF.
- Items
- 8 editable tasks
- Time / effort
- 10-30 minutes before the appointment or care handoff
- Best for
- A nursing home checklist for certification, ratings, inspections, staffing, rooms, safety, dementia care, activities, costs, policies, and visit notes.
- Focus
- A nursing home checklist for certification, ratings, inspections, staffing, rooms, safety, dementia care, activities, costs, policies, and visit notes.
Care handoff upgrade
Create a clearer care handoff checklist
Turn this page into a practical handoff with routines, medication notes, safety checks, contacts, appointment prep, and family review fields.
- Daily routine sections
- Safety and medication notes
- Family handoff fields
Business-ready checklist
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Quick answer
What this checklist is for
Built for nursing home tours and family comparison: certification, ratings, inspections, staffing, rooms, safety, dementia care, resident rights, costs, policies, and visit notes.
- Best for
- A nursing home checklist for certification, ratings, inspections, staffing, rooms, safety, dementia care, activities, costs, policies, and visit notes.
- Core checklist items
- Confirm Medicare or Medicaid certification, state license, availability, specialized services, dementia support, and distance for family visits, Check Medicare Care Compare ratings, health inspections, staffing, quality measures, citations, abuse icon if present, and improvement plans, Ask about nursing staff, CNA staffing, turnover, administrator stability, medical director, therapy services, hospital arrangements, and physician access, Tour resident rooms, bathrooms, dining spaces, activity areas, outdoor access, cleanliness, odors, lighting, noise, storage, privacy, and visitor areas, Ask about care planning, medications, falls, pressure injuries, infections, mental health, oral care, vision, hearing, podiatry, and emergency transfer rules
Printable nursing home checklist
- Confirm Medicare or Medicaid certification, state license, availability, specialized services, dementia support, and distance for family visits
- Check Medicare Care Compare ratings, health inspections, staffing, quality measures, citations, abuse icon if present, and improvement plans
- Ask about nursing staff, CNA staffing, turnover, administrator stability, medical director, therapy services, hospital arrangements, and physician access
- Tour resident rooms, bathrooms, dining spaces, activity areas, outdoor access, cleanliness, odors, lighting, noise, storage, privacy, and visitor areas
- Ask about care planning, medications, falls, pressure injuries, infections, mental health, oral care, vision, hearing, podiatry, and emergency transfer rules
- Review resident rights, visiting hours, leave procedures, family council, grievance process, abuse reporting, and communication with families
- Compare costs, payment sources, what is included, personal needs accounts, deposits, Medicaid rules, private pay rates, and billing contacts
- Write visit notes immediately and compare safety, care quality, staff warmth, resident appearance, family access, and unresolved concerns
How to use this checklist
Built for nursing home tours and family comparison: certification, ratings, inspections, staffing, rooms, safety, dementia care, resident rights, costs, policies, and visit notes. Bookmark /nursing-home-checklist/ if you use this checklist repeatedly.
Planning tips for this checklist
Use official ratings as a starting point
Medicare Care Compare ratings, inspection reports, staffing data, and quality measures help narrow choices, but tours and family observations still matter.
Ask about safety and resident rights
Families should understand abuse reporting, grievance process, visiting rules, leave procedures, dementia care policies, and how concerns are escalated.
Take notes right after each visit
Nursing home tours blur together. Write down odors, cleanliness, lighting, staff warmth, resident appearance, room fit, unanswered questions, and family access.
Frequently asked questions
What should a nursing home checklist include?
Include certification, license, Care Compare ratings, inspections, staffing, room condition, safety, dementia care, resident rights, family visits, costs, and grievance process.
What should I check before choosing a nursing home?
Review Medicare Care Compare, ask for inspection reports, observe staff and resident interactions, ask about care planning, and compare notes across each facility visited.
Can this checklist replace Medicare or state inspection information?
No. Use it to organize tour questions and notes, then confirm ratings, certification, citations, licensing, payment, and care requirements with official sources and qualified professionals.