12 questions to ask on any group home tour
A tour is your best tool for judging a home. Here is what to ask, including the questions providers hope you skip.
Websites can say anything. Ours included. A tour is where you find out what a home is actually like.
Bring this list, and bring the person who would be living there. Their reaction to the house matters more than yours.
About daily life
- What does a normal Tuesday look like here?
- Who cooks, and can residents help?
- What happens on weekends?
- How do residents get to day programs, work or appointments?
About staff
- Is someone awake in the house overnight?
- How long has your longest-serving staff member been here?
- Who gives medications, and how are they trained?
About the fit
- How many residents live here, and what are they like?
- How do you handle conflicts between housemates?
- What would make you say this home is not the right fit for someone?
- Can we visit again, unannounced?
- Can we talk to a current resident's family?
The two that matter most
That last pair is the real test. A good home says yes to both.
If a provider hesitates on an unannounced visit, ask yourself what you would be seeing on a day they had not prepared for you. And if nobody will connect you with another family, consider why.
We say yes to both. Come by, and ask us anything on this list.