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Aged Care Home Tour Checklist: 15 Questions Every Family Should Ask
Choosing a residential aged care home for someone you love is one of the biggest decisions a family will ever make, and a tour is your best chance to see what daily life is really like beyond the brochure. It is easy to walk in, admire the gardens, and walk out again without the answers that actually matter. That is where a good aged care home tour checklist comes in. This guide gives you 15 essential questions every family should ask, grouped so you can compare homes clearly and choose with confidence.
The questions below apply to any residential aged care home in Australia, and they are worth asking whether you are visiting your first community or your fifth. Bring them with you, take notes as you go, and trust what you see and feel on the day.
How to use this aged care home tour checklist
A little preparation makes a tour far more useful. Before you visit, think about what matters most to your family, from care needs and budget to lifestyle and location, so you can judge each home against your own priorities rather than the sales pitch.
A few practical tips to get the most from every visit:
- Book your tour mid-morning, roughly between 10:30am and 12:30pm, when activities are usually running and the home is at its most active.
- Bring a family member or friend. A second person notices things you might miss and can help you debrief afterwards.
- Visit two or three homes so you have something to compare, and jot down your impressions straight after each tour before the details blur together.
- Ask for a copy of the home’s most recent audit results and check its star ratings on the government’s My Aged Care Find a provider tool beforehand.
For a general starting point, the government also publishes an official questions to ask aged care homes checklist. The 15 questions below build on that with the detail families tell us they wish they had asked.
Care and clinical care questions
1. Is a registered nurse on site 24 hours a day?
Since 1 July 2023, every residential aged care home in Australia has been required to have a registered nurse on site around the clock. Ask specifically whether a nurse is physically present at all times, not simply “on call”. This one answer tells you a great deal about how the home handles anything that happens overnight.
2. How are individual care plans created and reviewed?
Good care is tailored to the person, not the system. Ask who develops the care plan, how families are involved, and how often it is reviewed as needs change. A strong home will talk about the resident’s routines, preferences and history, not just their medical conditions.
3. How is medication managed?
Medication is a daily reality in aged care. Ask who administers it, what checks are in place to reduce errors, and how any changes are communicated to residents and families. Clear, confident answers usually point to clear, well-run systems behind the scenes.
4. What happens if my loved one’s needs change over time?
Health can change quickly, so it helps to understand this early. Ask whether the home can support higher-level needs such as advanced dementia or palliative care, and whether your loved one could stay in the same room and community, or would need to move. Understanding this upfront helps you avoid distressing decisions later.
Everyday life and lifestyle questions
5. What does a typical day look like here?
Listen for detail rather than a general “we have lots on”. Ask what actually happens hour by hour, from mealtimes to activities to quiet time. The answer reveals whether daily life is genuinely engaging or simply supervised.
6. What is the food like, and can dietary needs be met?
Food is central to quality of life, and it now has its own dedicated Aged Care Quality Standard. Ask to see a sample menu, find out whether meals are prepared fresh on site, and check how the home caters to special diets, allergies and cultural preferences. If you can, time your visit around a meal so you can see and smell it for yourself.
7. What lifestyle and social activities are on offer?
A vibrant social life keeps residents connected and well. Ask about the weekly activities calendar, outings, visiting entertainers, and how the home helps residents pursue their own hobbies and interests. Look for signs that activities are genuinely enjoyed, not just listed on a noticeboard.
8. Can residents personalise their room and keep their routines?
Feeling at home matters enormously. Ask whether residents can bring their own furniture and belongings, decorate their space, and keep the daily rhythms they are used to. The freedom to make a room their own is a strong sign of a home that respects dignity and independence.
Staff, safety and quality questions
9. What are the staffing levels across all shifts?
Daytime often looks calm and well staffed because that is when tours happen. Ask about staff-to-resident ratios on evenings, nights, weekends and public holidays, and how long team members typically stay. Stable, familiar staff make an enormous difference, especially for residents living with dementia.
10. How does the home handle falls, emergencies and after-hours care?
You want to understand what happens when something goes wrong. Ask about the process for a fall or medical emergency: the immediate response, assessment, monitoring, when and how family is notified, and how GP and hospital contact is arranged. Clear systems here signal a home that is genuinely prepared.
11. How does the home perform against the Aged Care Quality Standards?
Residential providers must now meet the seven strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards, which took effect on 1 November 2025 under the new Aged Care Act 2024. Ask how the home meets them and whether it has any current compliance notices. A quality home will be open about its results rather than defensive.
Fees, contracts and moving-in questions
12. What are the fees, and what is included?
Aged care fees can be one of the most confusing parts of the process. Ask for a clear breakdown of the basic daily fee, accommodation costs and any means-tested contribution, and ask exactly what those fees cover. A good home will happily connect you with a financial information officer to help you plan.
13. Are there extra service fees or optional charges?
Many homes offer additional or premium services for an extra fee. Ask what these are, whether they are optional, and what they add to the weekly cost. Understanding the “extras” upfront prevents unexpected surprises down the track.
14. What is the admission and waitlist process?
Ask about current availability, typical waiting times, and exactly what the move-in process involves, including any assessments and paperwork. A good home will guide you through each step patiently rather than pressuring you to decide.
15. Can we arrange a short stay to try things out first?
A short stay is one of the best ways to test everything on your checklist in a real setting. Ask whether the home offers this, and use the time to see daily life from the inside. Trying a home before committing gives families genuine peace of mind.
Red flags to watch for on a tour
Alongside the answers you receive, pay attention to what you see and sense. Common warning signs include:
- Persistent unpleasant odours or poorly maintained common areas.
- Rushed, distracted staff, or residents who seem disengaged or unattended.
- Call buzzers left ringing without a response.
- Vague, inconsistent or defensive answers to your questions.
- Unclear pricing, or reluctance to put costs in writing.
If a home cannot answer your questions clearly, treat that as information in itself. The right community will welcome your questions and be transparent about how it handles the hard moments as well as the good ones.
Frequently asked questions
How many aged care homes should we tour?
Aim to visit at least two or three so you have a clear basis for comparison. Touring several homes quickly shows you what is standard in your area and what genuinely stands out. Take notes after each visit while your impressions are fresh.
What happens if a provider does not meet the Aged Care Quality Standards?
The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission audits providers and requires them to address any non-conformance. Depending on the risk to residents, this can range from a required improvement plan through to sanctions. You can check a home’s compliance history before you visit.
Is it normal to feel uncertain after a tour?
Completely. Touring multiple homes is emotional and can feel overwhelming. Comparing each one against your checklist helps cut through the noise, and it is perfectly reasonable to book a second visit or follow up with more questions before deciding.
Can couples move into an aged care home together?
Often yes, depending on availability and each person’s care needs. Some homes offer shared rooms or nearby accommodation for couples. Ask about this early if keeping partners together is important to your family.
Making a confident choice
The best aged care home should feel like a partnership, where your questions are welcomed and your loved one’s wellbeing genuinely comes first. Use this checklist to look past the finishes and focus on the care, the culture and the people, then trust what your instincts tell you on the day.
At Palm Lake Care, we welcome your questions and your family’s visit. You are warmly invited to explore our communities across Queensland and see the difference for yourself. When you are ready, get started here to arrange a tour and take the next step with confidence.