Charleston Senior AdvisorHow many assisted living facilities should we tour?
At least three, chosen from the licensed roster near the family member who will visit most, and the finalists should be visited twice, once at a mealtime and once in the late afternoon or evening.
Unannounced second visits show what an ordinary day looks like.
What documents should we ask for before choosing?
The admission agreement, the latest DPH inspection report with its plan of correction, the staffing schedule, the Alzheimer's disclosure if there is a secured unit, and the hurricane evacuation plan with the sheltering facility's name.
A building that hesitates to share any of these has told you something useful.
Which staffing questions matter most?
How many staff are on duty at peak hours and overnight compared with the 1-to-8 and 1-to-30 minimums, how many are agency staff, how long the night staff have worked there, and who covers a call-out.
For nursing homes, compare CMS staffing hours and turnover on our facility pages with the tri-county middle values.
How do we check a facility's enforcement history?
Look the facility up in our directory, which lists DPH enforcement orders since January 2025 for every CRCF and nursing home, or read DPH's monthly Healthcare Quality enforcement reports directly.
An old order is not proof of a current problem; ask what changed afterward.
What should the admission agreement include?
Every fee, the care and services covered, at least 30 days' notice of fee changes, the refund policy, the personal needs allowance and the transportation policy (Regulation 60-84, Section 901.A).
Take it home before signing and look closely at level-of-care charges.
Does location within the Lowcountry matter?
Yes. Bridges and traffic turn short distances into long drives, so a building near the most involved family member usually beats a nicer building across the harbor, and storm evacuation routes are worth considering too.
Our area and city pages show what is licensed in each part of the three counties.
What should we ask about money running out?
Ask in writing what happens when a private-pay resident's funds are spent, and whether the building accepts Optional State Supplementation or Community Choices Residential Personal Care.
Many larger communities are private-pay only; knowing that before move-in avoids a forced move later.
How do we judge a building's hurricane readiness?
Ask to read the evacuation plan Regulation 60-84 requires, note the sheltering facility it names and when the agreement was signed, and ask where residents went during the most recent evacuation order and how families were told.
For a Charleston County building, check that at least one sheltering facility is outside the coastal counties, as Section 1401 requires. Ask about generator coverage and what it powers, because the days after a storm, with heat and no power, are often harder than the evacuation itself.
