Are there ombudsman available in Chester County to help a family choose a memory care facility?

KateZy, it is best for your best friend to tour the facilities herself. If the tour is around noon time, your friend can have lunch on the house, thus be able to judge how well the food taste. Usually one can tell if a facility is the right one. If the residents are smiling and chatting with each other, that's a good sign. Is the place clean, cheery looking? Are the Aids and cleaning staff seem content? Are the room sizes reasonable? Does Mom prefer a sunny room or prefer shade?

Have your friend make a list of what does the facility offer that is important to her Mom, or is that item an added cost. When my Dad was in Memory Care, he had daily linen service where he used the linens and towels provided by the facility. There were 3 meals a day. An Aide would help with showering and dressing. There was zero odor on that wing of the facility, which was amazing.

And part of my Dad's monthly payment included a MedTech who would come in the morning and evening to give Dad his pills/pain lotions. Cable TV was included in the price. The landline was an extra monthly fee. There was a nurse available on all 3 shifts. Even physical therapy can be arranged. Even small pets were allowed as long as the resident could maintain and control the pet.

Ombudsmen don't do this type of work. There are professionals who do this type of work, typically at no charge to you because they work on commission from the facilities. Our local Alzheimer's association referred me.