How to find assisted living for a parent

The short version

Quick answer: To find assisted living for your dad, first list the help he needs each day and what you can afford each month. Then look up licensed homes near you, check each one's inspection record on the state's Care Facility Search, and tour your top two or three. Before move-in, his doctor fills out a state medical assessment form called the LIC 602A.

That's the whole thing in a nutshell. Here's how to do each part well.

Step 1: Figure out the care your parent needs

Be honest here. Families often play it down because it's painful to say out loud. Write down what help your parent needs with:

• Bathing, dressing and using the bathroom
• Taking medications on time
• Walking, getting out of a chair, or falls
• Memory: getting lost, repeating questions, leaving the stove on
• Nights: wandering, confusion or getting up a lot

This points you to the right type of place. Mostly independent with some daily help? Assisted living. Needs more hands-on care in a quieter setting? A board and care home. Memory loss with wandering? Memory care. Ask the doctor what they see, too.

If your parent isn't on board yet, start with how to talk to your parents about assisted living.

Step 2: Set a budget and figure out how to pay

In the Fresno area, board and care homes start around $3,700 a month. Assisted living runs about $5,100 to $6,600. Memory care is often $7,000 or more. Prices go up with care needs, so ask for the price at your parent's care level, not the base rate.

Most families pay with a mix of Social Security, pensions, savings and the sale of the house. Medicare does not pay for assisted living. Veterans and surviving spouses may qualify for VA Aid and Attendance, and some people on Medi-Cal qualify for the Assisted Living Waiver. Our paying for senior care page covers all of it.

Step 3: Know where to look

• People you trust. Friends from church, your parent's doctor, neighbors who have been through it.
• Hospital case managers. If your parent is at Community Regional, Saint Agnes, Clovis Community, Kaiser Fresno or the VA, the case manager can share options.
• Fresno-Madera Area Agency on Aging. A good free starting point for local senior services. Call (559) 214-0299.
• A local placement advisor. Someone who has been inside the homes can save you weeks. That's what we do.

Step 4: Check the state license and inspection reports

This is the step most families skip, and it matters most. In California, assisted living and board and care homes are licensed by the Department of Social Services as Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly, or RCFEs. You can look up any home on the state's Care Facility Search.

Make sure the license is active and the home is licensed as an RCFE. Then open the facility reports and read the inspection visits, complaints and citations. One old, minor citation is normal. A pattern of the same problem, like short staffing, med errors or falls, is a warning sign.

Step 5: Tour, then tour again

Visit your top two or three. Go once at a scheduled time, then drop by again around a meal or in the evening. Watch how staff talk to residents. Notice smells, noise, and whether people look engaged or just parked in front of a TV.

Questions to ask on the tour

• What's the monthly price at my dad's care level, and what makes it go up?
• How many staff are awake at night?
• Who gives medications, and how are they tracked?
• If his needs increase, at what point would he have to move?
• Can residents stay here on hospice?
• How do you handle falls, and when do you call family?
• Can I take home a copy of the admission agreement?

Step 6: Handle the paperwork

Before move-in, California requires a medical assessment done within the past year. Most homes use the state form LIC 602A. It's now titled Medical Assessment for Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly, though many people still call it the physician's report. Your parent's doctor or another licensed medical professional fills it out, and it includes TB test results.

The home also has its own admission packet, including an admission agreement, emergency contacts and a notice of resident rights. Bring copies of any power of attorney, advance directive or POLST, plus insurance cards and a current medication list.

Step 7: Plan the move

Pick a day, set up the room with familiar things, and plan to visit often the first few weeks. Our moving checklist covers every detail, from labeling clothes to forwarding the mail.

Doing all of this while working and caring for a parent is a lot. If you'd rather hand off the legwork, we'll check the records, get the real prices and tour with you, for free.

Updated September 2026 by Shaun and Nick, co-founders of CalValley Senior Living Advisors.