I have been trying to go and visit facilities for assisted living so that when my mom gets sicker, (she has COPD, congestive heart failure, chronic kidney disease), I have options on where she lives. She barely can afford the retirement home she is in and when she needs more assistance I have Medi-cal benefits ready- she will pay 1100 and they will pay the rest. My problem is that nobody wants to take medi-cal unless she is released into a place from the hospital or with doctor's orders...I would like to visit some places now, but nobody wants to let me visit until she needs it!
We still have a large problem in many areas in that many people need care but don't need hospitalization, so families have a hard time placing elders. I hope to see that change.
You could try www.ltcombudsman.org. The is the place where you find your long-term care representative. Type in the Zip code of the AL you are thinking about and you'll get a link to that contact. Then see if your representative has advice to help you.
Good luck,
Carol