Care Playbook
We Need to Choose a Facility This Week
Use this playbook to compare care fit, cost, safety, communication, red flags, and contract questions before making a rushed facility decision.
Use as a working checklist. Complete what is useful now and return when the situation changes.
Facility decision safety note
If the person is unsafe, medically unstable, or being discharged soon, involve the care team, discharge planner, or qualified professional.
This playbook helps organize the decision but does not replace medical, legal, financial, or professional care advice.
Who this playbook is for
- Families comparing assisted living, memory care, nursing homes, or rehab under time pressure.
- Caregivers who need a repeatable tour and scorecard process.
- Decision-makers reviewing cost, contract, care fit, and red flags before signing.
Common triggers
Quick situation intake
These answers personalize the callouts and summary. They do not block access to the playbook.
What to do now
What to do in the next 24 hours
What to do this week
What to document
These fields feed the shareable Family Care Plan Summary.
Who to call
Facility admissions contact
Call when
Call when comparing pricing, care levels, medication support, and discharge rules.
What to say
Can you provide a written fee estimate, sample invoice, care-level explanation, and discharge policy?
Doctor or care team
Call when
Call when care level, transfer safety, memory needs, or home safety is unclear.
What to say
What level of care does this person need now, and what needs would make home or assisted living unsafe?
Elder law attorney
Call when
Call when contract terms, responsible-party language, Medicaid, private pay, discharge, or financial responsibility is unclear.
What to prepare
Admission agreement, fee schedule, sample invoice, refund policy, discharge policy, and questions.
Long-Term Care Ombudsman
Call when
Call when there are resident rights concerns, discharge concerns, or unresolved long-term care facility issues.
What to prepare
Facility name, dates, written notices, concerns, and attempts to resolve them.
Escalation triggers
- If memory care is being considered, use the Memory Care Evaluation Scorecard and ask how wandering distress is prevented.
- If nursing home care is being considered, use the Nursing Home Visit Scorecard and clarify Medicare, Medicaid, and private-pay rules.
- If no sample invoice is available, do not compare by base rate only.
- If the contract has not been reviewed, pause and review fees, discharge rules, responsible-party language, and arbitration terms.
Set a suggested review date
30 days after move-in
Suggested review date: June 26, 2026
Generate care summary
Facility Decision Summary
Send the intake, documentation, checked actions, recommended tools, questions, and review date to the Family Care Plan Summary.
Kefiw Facility Decision Summary Date created: May 27, 2026 Suggested review date: June 26, 2026 Situation intake What type of facility are you considering?: Not entered When does the family need to decide?: Not entered What triggered the decision?: Not entered What is the biggest risk right now?: Not entered How many places have you toured or contacted?: Not entered Do you have a sample invoice or written fee estimate?: Not entered Has anyone reviewed the contract or admission agreement?: Not entered Documentation Facilities considered: Not entered Main care needs: Not entered Monthly cost estimates: Not entered Red flags or concerns: Not entered Current best fit: Not entered Contract questions: Not entered Completed actions None checked yet Recommended next steps - Start the Care Needs Checklist. - Use the Senior Care Cost Calculator. - Open the correct facility scorecard. - Open the Facility Contract Checklist. - Generate a Facility Decision Summary. Questions to ask - What is included in the base rate? - What costs extra and what makes the bill increase? - What care needs can you not support? - What happens after a fall or medication issue? - What would trigger discharge? - Can we see a sample invoice? Recommended Kefiw tools - Senior Care Cost Calculator: Compare full cost, not base rate only. - Assisted Living Tour Scorecard: Compare communities by care fit, fees, safety, and communication. - Memory Care Evaluation Scorecard: Evaluate dementia-specific safety and support. - Nursing Home Visit Scorecard: Compare staffing, dignity, communication, and care planning. - Facility Contract Checklist: Review fees, discharge rules, and contract risk before signing. Family script Let's not pick the place that gives us the most reassurance today. Let's pick the place that can support the actual care needs, explain the real cost, communicate clearly, and tell us honestly what they cannot handle.
You have a starting plan.
You documented what happened, identified the next care steps, and selected tools to continue planning.
Related guides
Review and scope
Recommended reviewer type: Senior care advisor, Geriatric care manager, Elder law attorney for contract-related sections. Last reviewed: April 30, 2026. Next scheduled review: annual update cycle or sooner when guidance changes.
Kefiw provides educational care-planning tools and guides. This playbook helps families organize decisions, estimate needs, prepare questions, and identify next steps. It does not replace medical, legal, tax, financial, insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, or emergency guidance. For urgent medical concerns or immediate danger, call emergency services.