Questions to Ask a Memory Care Facility Before Signing the Contract

Touring memory care facilities is overwhelming. The marketing brochures show sunny dining rooms and smiling staff, but you need to know what happens at 2 AM when your parent is disoriented and trying to leave. These are the questions that separate well-run facilities from ones that will call you six months in with an involuntary discharge notice.

Licensing and Regulatory Status

Most states — including Kansas — do not issue a standalone "memory care license." In Kansas, memory care operates as a "secured special-care section" inside an adult care home licensed under K.S.A. 39-923, which can be an assisted living facility, residential health care facility, or Home Plus setting.

Ask these questions:

• What is your current license type, and when was your last state inspection? Every facility is subject to unannounced inspections by the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS). Ask to see the most recent survey report, or look it up through the KDADS Survey, Certification and Credentialing Commission.
• Have you received any deficiency citations in the past two years? Pay special attention to citations related to staffing, medication errors, falls, and restraint use. A single citation is not necessarily disqualifying, but a pattern reveals systemic problems.
• Are you a Home Plus setting? Home Plus facilities in Kansas are limited to 12 residents, creating a smaller, more residential environment. This can be a significant advantage for parents who become agitated in large, institutional settings.

Staffing and Dementia Training

The quality of daily care hinges on who is actually providing it and how much training they have received.

• What is your direct-care staff-to-resident ratio during the day, evening, and overnight shifts? Kansas does not mandate specific numerical ratios, but it does require that direct-care staff be awake and responsive at all times in secured dementia sections. A facility that cannot clearly answer this question is a warning sign.
• Is a licensed nurse present in the secured section at all times? Kansas regulations require this. If the nurse is shared across multiple units or floors, ask how response times are managed during emergencies.
• What dementia-specific training do your staff complete? Kansas mandates annual dementia care training for all personnel providing care to residents with cognitive impairments. Ask about the curriculum, who conducts the training, and whether it covers de-escalation techniques for behavioral symptoms.

The Negotiated Service Agreement

Before admission, Kansas facilities are required to create a Negotiated Service Agreement (NSA) — a collaborative care plan involving the facility, a licensed nurse, the resident, and their legal representative.

• Can I review a sample NSA before we commit? The NSA must outline clinical, functional, and behavioral supports. It is updated annually or after any significant change in the resident's condition.
• What triggers a care plan review? Falls, hospitalizations, significant behavioral changes, and medication adjustments should all trigger a formal reassessment.
• Under what circumstances would you issue an involuntary transfer or discharge? Understand the facility's eviction policies. If your parent's behavior escalates beyond what assisted living can manage — such as requiring 24-hour skilled nursing or physical restraints — the facility may discharge them to a nursing home. Know this threshold before signing.

Safety and Exit Controls

• What exit control systems do you use? Kansas regulations require secured sections to use the "least restrictive exit control" that balances safety with personal freedom. Ask whether they use keypad locks, door alarms, wander-guard bracelets, or secured outdoor areas.
• What is your wandering response protocol? If a resident attempts to leave, what happens in the first five minutes? Is there a structured search protocol, and at what point do they contact law enforcement to trigger a Silver Alert?
• Do you have a secured outdoor space? Access to outdoor areas with secure perimeters reduces agitation and improves quality of life for residents with dementia.

Costs and Payment

• What is the base monthly rate, and what services are included? Memory care in Kansas averages $7,500 per month, but rates vary significantly by region and level of care. Clarify what is included in the base rate versus what triggers additional charges.
• Do you accept KanCare Medicaid? If your parent may eventually need Medicaid coverage, confirm the facility accepts it. Some private-pay facilities do not convert to Medicaid beds.
• Is there a community fee or entrance deposit, and is any portion refundable? These one-time fees can range from one to three months' rent.

Get the Full Vetting Framework

The Kansas Dementia & Memory Care Guide includes a printable facility vetting checklist, an MCO comparison worksheet, and the full regulatory reference for Kansas memory care licensing — so you walk into every tour knowing exactly what to look for.

See more Kansas guides →