Considering a retirement home brings up some good questions.

Moving late in life is hard. First you must come to terms with the idea, then decide where to go. As one reader wrote, "I'm an active 89 this month and having a terrible time deciding what retirement home I should select. Time to move, I'm sure — but where?"
Here's where the "tire-kicking" comes in doing your homework to find the right place. While the decision can be tough, it can also open doors to a renewed and more convenient quality of life. What's hard is the unknown until you know it.

So where do you start? One step at a time.

• Know what services are available and their costs.
• Decide which of these services is appropriate, based on your functional needs, now and in the future. You can download my "Older Adult Assessment" form in the related links area of this article.
If you're healthy, you'll look for an independent retirement community that offers additional services for later.
If you have difficulty with daily chores, can't walk, have Alzheimer's, or need medical attention, you're more likely to need an assisted-living facility, adult family home or nursing home.
Whatever the choice, the basic questions are similar.

1. What are the fee structure and costs?
Private-pay. Fees are based on the living space you choose, with higher rates for such amenities as a view, large square-footage or a deck. Some facilities charge a fixed amount, while others add on fees for the services you use. This might be stated as a "level" of care for, say, two hours of staff time a day; "à la carte," meaning each item you use has a price, such as assistance with medications and bathing; or a "point" system that covers a group of services.
Ask about the facility's history of price increases, whether there's a one-time move-in fee or pet deposit. What happens if you run out of money?
Government funding may be available if you need care (not if you're healthy), but availability varies widely. Medicare, for example, is available only in nursing homes, while Medicaid or COPES (for those who've spent down their assets) is in a few assisted-living facilities (the state calls them "boarding homes"), some adult family homes, and most nursing homes.

2. Is space available now? Is there a waiting list? What happens if you're not ready when they call? Is there a fee to be wait-listed?

3. Special needs: If it's appropriate, be sure to ask whether the facility can provide low-salt or diabetic meals, help with insulin shots, lifting or other medical assistance. These require special staff (mainly nurses) and equipment, and some places don't have them.

4. Food: How many meals are provided each day? What choices do you have if you don't like what's served? Can you have a fried egg anytime you want? Most facilities welcome visitors for lunch, so be sure to sample amply, since the quality and taste can be a deal-breaker.

5. Pay attention to the activity schedule and, if you can, observe what happens. A good activity director is worth her weight in gold.

6. How does the facility assess your condition as it changes, and what happens then?

7. In adult family homes, where only one person may provide care day and night, how does he or she take a break?

8. The long-term-care ombudsman's office, a state program (in every state) that advocates for residents' rights, sends volunteers to many facilities to visit. Does one come to this facility?

9. Does the facility accept residents with memory loss? If so, is there a special section for them, with special activities and trained staff? At what point is someone with dementia required to move?

You can get answers to some of these questions by telephone. However, the best way to gauge whether a facility fits your needs is to visit. The more choices you experience, the easier it is to compare. And try to visit more than once. Make an appointment when you need in-depth information (such as for your first visit), then come unannounced on a different day and hour of the week to observe.

If you have a friend, daughter or son, bring that person, too. It's always good to have more than one set of eyes and ears helping you process this complicated information.

Remember, it's not the wallpaper that makes a place worthy of being your new home, but the quality of what goes on inside.
Use your senses: your eyes, ears, nose, taste and touch. Does the place smell? Does it seem clean? Is it pleasant? In nursing homes, are the call bells answered promptly? Do you hear irritation in staff voices? This may indicate staff shortages and overwork.

Do staff members know residents by name, and vice versa? Do they seem to like each other? Pull the emergency cord and see how quickly someone comes. Telephone during nonbusiness hours and leave a message. How promptly is it returned?

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