Baton Rouge Senior AdvisorBy Baton Rouge Senior Advisor Care Team · November 6, 2026
Bring Louisiana's rules on the tour: check the ARCP level and capacity, read the posted statement of deficiencies, ask for the residency agreement, termination criteria, rate history, staffing schedule, emergency plan and disaster-fee formula, and, for memory care, the written program policies and training records.
Why use the state rules as a checklist?
A tour is designed to show you the dining room and the courtyard. Louisiana's licensing rules point you to the documents that show how a building actually runs. Every one of them is something an ARCP is required to have, so asking for them is ordinary, and how readily a provider produces them tells you something too.
What should we check before the tour?
Look up the license on LDH's monthly report and our directory: level, capacity, original licensure date, current issue date and expiration. A recent issue date on an old building suggests a change of ownership, which is worth asking about. Note the administrator named on the license and ask to meet that person.
Which documents should we ask for?
| Ask for | What a good answer looks like |
|---|---|
| Posted statement of deficiencies and plan of correction | Shown without hesitation, with specific fixes |
| Residency agreement | A copy to take home before any deposit |
| Termination criteria | Clear conditions and the 30-day appeal right |
| Rate history and care-level price sheet | Three years of increases, in writing |
| Current staffing schedule | Named shifts, including overnight |
| Resident copy of evacuation procedures | Specific host site and generator details |
| Disaster-fee formula | A written formula with cost parameters |
| Dementia program policies (if marketed) | Written criteria and Fire Marshal approval for locks |
| Dementia training records | Eight hours a year for hands-on program staff |
| Medication policy | Who administers, how errors are tracked |
| Outside services policy | Which home health agencies and hospices visit |
| Visitation policy for emergencies | Clergy and family visits during a declared emergency |
Not every answer has to be perfect. What matters is whether the provider answers plainly and puts it in writing.
What should we watch for during the visit?
Watch how staff speak to residents and to each other, whether call lights are answered, whether residents are up and engaged or parked in front of a television, and whether the building smells clean. Visit a second time unannounced, ideally at a mealtime or in the evening, when staffing is thinner. Talk to a resident or a visiting family member if you can.
What should we do after the tour?
Compare buildings on the same written terms: total monthly cost at current and next care levels, staffing, inspection history and emergency planning. Read the residency agreement at home, slowly. If something in it is unclear, ask for the explanation in writing. And if anything you see or hear worries you, LDH's Health Standards Section takes complaints at 1-888-810-1819, and the regional ombudsman at (800) 833-9883 can answer questions about residents' rights.
What questions should we ask about staff?
Ask how many direct care staff are on each shift and how many residents each aide is responsible for, especially overnight. Ask about turnover, whether agency staff fill shifts, and how long the director and lead caregivers have been there. Louisiana requires orientation within 14 days of hire, CPR and first aid certification within 90 days, and annual training on residents' rights, abuse reporting, emergency procedures and infection control, plus dementia training; ask to see the training calendar.
What questions should we ask about care?
Ask how the building assesses a new resident and how often it reassesses, who writes the service plan and whether family takes part, how medications are handled and errors tracked, and which outside home health agencies and hospices visit. Ask what happens if your parent falls at night, how quickly someone responds to a call, and how the building tells families about incidents. Finally, ask what changes in condition would mean your parent would have to move, and get the answer in writing.
How do we compare two buildings fairly afterward?
Put the answers side by side on one page: the license level and capacity, the latest posted findings and how they were corrected, the total monthly cost at your parent's current and next care level, the overnight staffing count, the emergency plan's host site and generator details, and the termination criteria. Add a line for how your parent reacted to each place, because a building a parent dislikes rarely works however good it looks on paper. If two buildings are close, a short respite stay can settle the question before anyone signs a long agreement.
Frequently asked questions
Can we see a building's inspection results before visiting?
Not online for ARCPs; Louisiana requires them to be posted on site, so ask on the tour or request older ones from LDH.
How many buildings should we tour?
Usually two or three that fit the level and budget, with a second unannounced visit to the favorite.
Should we sign the agreement on the tour?
No. Take it home, read the termination criteria and rate terms, and ask questions in writing.
What if the provider will not share documents?
Treat it as a warning sign; the documents on this checklist are ones Louisiana requires an ARCP to have.
How much notice is required before a rate increase?
At least 30 days' written notice under Louisiana's ARCP rules.
Who can I call with questions about residents' rights?
The regional long-term care ombudsman at (800) 833-9883, free and confidential.
