Seven questions, about a minute. You will get a plain-language read on the level of care that fits — and what to set up at home first.
No email needed to see your result
About a minute
Nothing is stored or sent
Written by a family caregiver
Question 1 of 7
Who will benefit from this care assessment?
Select the person you're evaluating care options for. Your answers should reflect their current daily situation.
What this assessment looks at
A care needs assessment is the question every family reaches eventually: how much help does this actually need, and is the house still the right place for it? The seven questions below cover the four things that decide that answer in practice.
Mobility
Walking, stairs, getting out of a chair or bed unaided, and whether falls have already started.
Daily assistance
Bathing, dressing, cooking and medication — the activities of daily living that care levels are built around.
Memory and judgement
Forgetting medication, repeating questions, confusion that comes and goes, wandering.
Safety at home
The bathroom, the stairs, the night-time route to the toilet, and whether anyone is nearby.
The four levels of care, in plain words
Ageing in place with aids
Independent, but the house needs work — grab bars, better lighting, something to make the bathroom safe. Most people start here and stay longer than they expect.
In-home care
Help with specific tasks on specific days. Hours rather than a move. Often the step families skip straight past when they should not.
Assisted living
Daily help with bathing, dressing or medication, in a building set up for it — but not round-the-clock nursing.
Memory care or nursing care
Wandering, serious confusion, or medical needs that do not stop at night. A secured or clinical setting.
What happens when you finish
1The level of care the answers point to, and the reasoning behind it in plain language.
2The specific risks your answers flagged — night-time falls, missed medication, an unsafe bathroom.
3What to put in the house first, with our reviews for each, so the next step is a decision rather than a search.
This is a starting point, not a diagnosis. It is built from the patterns families and clinicians look at, and it is meant to give you the words for a conversation with a doctor, a social worker or the rest of your family — not to replace one.
Questions families ask
Frequently Asked Questions
This assessment provides general guidance based on common care needs patterns. It should be used as a starting point for conversations with healthcare providers, not as a medical diagnosis. Every senior's situation is unique, and professional evaluation is recommended for final care decisions.
Consider assisted living when your loved one needs help with daily activities like bathing, dressing, or medication management, but doesn't require 24-hour medical care. Signs include difficulty maintaining their home, social isolation, missed medications, or safety concerns like falls.
Memory care becomes necessary when dementia symptoms include wandering, getting lost in familiar places, aggressive behavior, severe confusion, inability to recognize family members, or requiring 24-hour supervision for safety. Memory care facilities provide specialized support and secure environments.
Yes, many seniors can age in place longer with proper safety equipment. Grab bars, shower chairs, bed rails, medication organizers, and emergency alert systems significantly reduce fall risks and support independence. Combined with in-home care services, these aids help seniors remain safely at home.
Choose the option that best reflects the current situation, even if you're not completely certain. You can select "I don't know" when available. The quiz provides general guidance, and you can always retake it as circumstances change or after consulting with healthcare providers.
Yes, ElderlyDaily reviews and recommends senior safety products based on caregiver feedback, safety standards, and verified owner reports. We may earn commissions from qualifying purchases through our Amazon affiliate links, which helps us continue providing free resources to caregivers.
