Find a Life Care Center location near you.


Life Care operates more than 200 skilled nursing homes, assisted living facilities, retirement living communities, home care services, and Alzheimer's centers.

Services - Nursing Care

How to Choose

Making a placement decision is never easy, but the following guidelines can ensure that you select the best care environment for your loved one.

  • Discuss the type of services your loved one needs with his or her physician then obtain a list of area nursing centers offering those services from either the doctor, a social worker or a case manager. You can also get recommendations from friends, neighbors and your church.
  • Call the nursing centers on your list and speak with their directors of admissions to ask questions and schedule a tour. During your conversation, evaluate each director's helpfulness and friendliness.
  • Conduct the Five Senses Test while taking a tour:
    • Look at the building. Are the grounds well-kept? Is the building well-maintained? Are the resident's rooms tidy and bright?
    • Listen to the interactions between residents, families and staff members. Are they positive? Listen to the director of nursing and the administrator. Do they answer your questions honestly and candidly? Are they helpful?
    • Smell the aroma of the resident rooms, bathrooms and hallways. Do they have a pleasant, clean smell?
    • Taste the food. Is it hot, fresh and delicious? Would you serve it to your family?
    • Touch the furniture, the bedrails and the linens. Are the furniture and bedrails clean and free from grime? Are the bed linens clean and soft? Is there dust behind the beds and in the closets?
    • Talk to family members about the facility and about the care. If you do not know any of them personally, ask the director of admissions for names and numbers, or ask to attend a resident or family council meeting to understand more about the center and its quality of care.
  • Consult with ministers who visit the center on a regular basis.
  • Inquire about the facility's state survey results. All facilities that participate in the Medicare and Medicaid programs are surveyed annually to ensure compliance with state and federal regulations.
  • Ask if the center participates in quality assurance programs such as the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, which evaluates the center's quality of care and operations to determine compliance with national health and safety standards.