Checklist
What to ask when you visit a care home
Of the 935 Alberta homes inspected since January 1, 2023, 794 were cited at least once. These are the things inspectors cite most, in order, with the questions to ask about each. Take it on your visit, and look the home up on this site first.
Before you go
- Look up the home’s inspection record: by name or near a postal code. Ask about anything still open.
- Ask the home for its latest inspection report, and read what it says it fixed.
- Visit at a mealtime, and again at a different time of day if you can.
- Talk to residents and families you meet, and ask if the home has a resident and family council.
- Ask for the current rates and what they include. What care costs in Alberta.
1. Care plans
Cited 2,302 times since 2023, at 407 homes. Most often: Standardized Assessment and Person-Centred Care Planning — Client's Care Plan is reviewed.
Each resident’s care plan should follow from an assessment of their needs, be reviewed by the care team, and be kept up to date.
- How often is a resident’s care plan reviewed, and is the family invited to the care conference?
- Who updates the plan when needs change, for example after a fall or a hospital stay?
- Can we see the care plan, and who do we ask about it?
2. Restraints and locked units
Cited 1,432 times since 2023, at 326 homes. Most often: Restraint Management and Secure Spaces — Documentation for restraint use.
Restraints (bed rails, belts, some medications) and secure spaces must follow written policies, and their use must be documented in the resident’s chart and care plan.
- When does the home use a restraint or a locked unit, and who decides?
- Is the family asked first, and how often is the decision reviewed?
- Where is it written down in the resident’s care plan?
3. Upkeep, cleaning and safety
Cited 900 times since 2023, at 395 homes. Most often: Maintenance Requirements — Preventative and corrective maintenance.
The building, grounds and equipment must be safe, clean and kept in repair, with scheduled maintenance.
- Look: are rooms, halls and bathrooms clean and in good repair?
- How long does a repair usually take, and who do we tell?
- How quickly are call bells answered, day and night?
4. Medication
Cited 798 times since 2023, at 382 homes. Most often: Medication Management — Policies and procedures in Medication Management are documented and implemented.
The home must have written medication policies and follow them.
- Who gives medications, and how are errors tracked and reported to the family?
- How often are a resident’s medications reviewed, and by whom?
- What happens to medications brought from home?
5. Water temperature
Cited 735 times since 2023, at 390 homes. Most often: Safe Bath and Shower Water Temperature — Policies and procedures regarding safe water temperatures are documented and implemented.
The hottest water from taps, baths and showers in resident areas must stay below a set maximum, checked on a schedule.
- How and how often are bath and tap water temperatures checked, and is there a log we can see?
6. Emergency and backup plans
Cited 674 times since 2023, at 387 homes. Most often: Continuation of Services — Practicability, communication and review of plans.
The home must have a written emergency, pandemic and contingency plan, covering the loss of utilities, and share it with residents and families.
- What happens if the power, heat or water fails, or in an outbreak?
- Has the plan been shared with residents and families, and can we see it?
7. Staff training
Cited 628 times since 2023, at 281 homes. Most often: Staff Training — Policies and procedures for Staff training are documented and implemented.
Training must be set out in policy, completed, and documented.
- What training must care staff complete (dementia care, restraints, infection control), and how is it kept current?
- How many care staff are on shift overnight and on weekends?
8. Infection control
Cited 621 times since 2023, at 302 homes. Most often: Infection Prevention and Control — Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) policies and procedures are documented and implemented.
Infection prevention and control policies must be written down and followed.
- What happens during an outbreak: visiting, isolation, and how families are told?
- How are shared rooms, equipment and bathrooms cleaned between residents?
9. Bathing and mouth care
Cited 530 times since 2023, at 251 homes. Most often: Oral Care Assistance and Bathing Frequency in Continuing Care Homes — Policies and procedures to provide Clients the opportunity for bathing at a minimum of twice a week.
In continuing care homes, residents must be offered a bath at least twice a week, and help with mouth care.
- How often will my family member be offered a bath or shower, and at what time of day?
- Who helps with brushing teeth and dentures, and how often?
10. Food
Cited 472 times since 2023, at 232 homes. Most often: Menu Requirements — Resident consultation on meal times.
The menu must be approved by a dietitian, residents told when meals are served, and asked about meals and meal times at least every six months.
- Can we see this week’s menu, and can we eat a meal here on our visit?
- How are special diets, textures and food allergies handled?
- Who helps residents who need help eating or drinking?
11. Falls and incidents
Cited 405 times since 2023, at 190 homes. Most often: Quality Improvement Reporting — Policies and procedures for tracking incidents and near-misses are documented and implemented.
The home must track incidents and near misses under written procedures.
- How are falls and other incidents tracked, and when will the family be told?
- What has the home changed after its recent incidents?
12. Choices that carry risk
Cited 374 times since 2023, at 233 homes. Most often: Risk Management — Managed risk agreements are documented and implemented.
When a resident chooses something with risk, the home must document a managed risk agreement.
- If my family member wants to do something risky (walk alone, eat a food against advice), how is that agreed, and are we part of it?
13. Complaints
Cited 351 times since 2023, at 198 homes. Most often: Concerns and Complaints — Written processes for managing concerns and complaints.
The home must have a written process for concerns and complaints, and tell residents and families about it.
- What is the written process for a concern, and who do we go to if it is not resolved?
14. Activities
Cited 249 times since 2023, at 184 homes. Most often: Life Enrichment Services — Life Enrichment Services are provided as per Client's Care Plan.
Activities must be provided as the resident’s care plan sets out.
- What is on this week’s activity calendar, and how are activities chosen for each resident?
15. End-of-life care
Cited 249 times since 2023, at 175 homes. Most often: Palliative Care and End-of-Life Care — Palliative Care and End-of-Life care documentation in Care Plan.
Palliative and end-of-life care must follow written policies and be set out in the resident’s care plan.
- How does the home provide palliative care, and can family stay overnight?
16. Money and belongings
Cited 156 times since 2023, at 81 homes. Most often: Trust Accounts — Written policy for trust accounts.
The home must have written policies, shared with residents, for trust accounts, for keeping residents’ belongings safe, and for staff involvement in residents’ personal affairs, gifts included.
- If the home holds money for a resident, how is it accounted for, and do we get statements?
- How are belongings kept safe, and can staff accept gifts?
17. Personal directive and power of attorney
Cited 152 times since 2023, at 104 homes. Most often: Client Access to Information — Personal Directives, Power of Attorney, guardian/trusteeship or Advance Care Planning information.
The home must keep residents’ personal directive, power of attorney, guardianship and advance care planning information.
- Will the home keep copies of the personal directive, power of attorney and advance care plan, and who sees them?
After the visit
Concerns about a home go to the home first, then to the Continuing Care Licensing Office (cclo@gov.ab.ca). Ideas for this checklist: hello@caretrail.ca.
Source: Government of Alberta, Continuing Care Accommodation Standards compliance reporting on Open Alberta (Open Government Licence – Alberta), file of —, with visits to July 6, 2026. Results are as the government recorded them. An inspection is a snapshot. The questions are ours, written from what each standard requires; they are not the government’s wording, and not legal or medical advice. Counts are non-compliances since 2023 under each topic’s standards. How this is built.