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How to Check If an Assisted Living or Memory Care Facility Has Adequate Emergency and Evacuation Plans

When your loved one lives in a facility, their safety during an emergency depends on plans you can't see — until you ask. This guide helps you evaluate whether a facility's emergency and evacuation plans are truly adequate for someone with dementia, who may wander, become agitated, or not understand instructions. You'll learn exactly what to look for, what questions to ask, and how to spot red flags, so you can feel more confident that your family member will be protected when it matters most.

Key points

  • Always ask to see the written emergency plan — do not accept a verbal summary.
  • Look for plans that specifically address dementia behaviors like wandering and agitation.
  • Ask about drill frequency and whether drills include residents with dementia, not just staff.
  • Check for backup power, evacuation chairs, and a clear communication plan for families.
  • Visit during a drill if possible, or ask to observe a practice session.
  • Do not wait until a crisis to ask these questions — do it during the initial tour or before signing a contract.

Why Emergency Plans Are Different in Memory Care and Assisted Living

For a person living with dementia, a fire alarm or a sudden evacuation is not just startling — it can be deeply disorienting and terrifying. Unlike a typical adult, someone with memory loss may not understand why they need to leave their room, may resist being moved, or may wander away from the group in the confusion. This means that a facility's emergency plan cannot be a generic one-size-fits-all document. It must be specifically designed for residents who cannot follow verbal commands, who may become combative under stress, and who may have physical limitations like difficulty walking or hearing.

Assisted living and memory care facilities are required by state regulations to have written emergency plans, but the quality of those plans varies enormously. A plan that works for a general assisted living population may fail completely for someone with advanced dementia. The key is to look for plans that account for the unique behaviors of dementia — such as elopement (wandering away), agitation, and the need for one-on-one redirection. Facilities that have invested in staff training, specialized evacuation equipment (like evacuation chairs for non-ambulatory residents), and clear communication protocols are far better prepared to keep everyone safe.

The Reality: Most Families Don't Check Until It's Too Late

Many families choose a facility based on location, cost, or the friendliness of staff, but rarely think to ask about emergency preparedness. This is understandable — you're focused on daily care, not hypothetical disasters. However, experts warn that the worst time to evaluate a facility's emergency plan is during an actual crisis, such as a hurricane, wildfire, or power outage. By then, it's too late to discover that the facility has no backup generator, no plan for evacuating non-ambulatory residents, or no way to contact families.

In fact, many families end up in emergency placement situations — for example, after a hospital discharge or a sudden fall — and have no time to vet a facility's disaster readiness. The result is that residents may be moved to a facility with an empty bed, regardless of whether that facility has ever practiced an evacuation drill. Taking the time to ask these questions before a crisis can prevent a dangerous situation later.

General caregiving information, not medical advice. Check medications and major care changes with your clinician.

Step-by-step

  1. Ask for a copy of the facility's written emergency plan. Every licensed assisted living and memory care facility in the US is required to have one. Do not accept a verbal summary — ask to see the actual document. Look for sections that specifically address residents with dementia, including how staff will redirect residents who wander or become agitated during an evacuation.

  2. Inquire about the facility's evacuation drill schedule. Ask how often they practice fire drills, severe weather drills, and lockdown drills. For memory care units, drills should be conducted at least quarterly, and staff should practice with residents who have dementia, not just with able-bodied staff. If they say they only do drills once a year or that they 'don't want to upset residents,' that is a red flag.

  3. Ask how they handle residents who cannot walk or who use wheelchairs. In an emergency, elevators may be shut down, and residents on upper floors need to be moved down stairs. Ask if the facility has evacuation chairs (also called stair chairs) and how many staff are trained to use them. A facility that cannot evacuate a non-ambulatory resident quickly is not prepared.

  4. Find out how they will communicate with families during an emergency. Ask: Do you have a phone tree, text alert system, or a designated family contact person? How will you let me know if my loved one has been evacuated and where they have been taken? If the answer is vague or they say 'we'll figure it out then,' that is a serious concern.

  5. Check if the facility has a backup power source. Ask about generators: What systems do they power? Do they run the lights, medical equipment, and refrigeration for medications? How long can the generator run on a full tank of fuel? For memory care, ask if the generator powers the door alarms and security systems that prevent wandering.

  6. Ask about their plan for residents who wander or elope during a disaster. In the chaos of an evacuation, a person with dementia may become confused and try to leave the group. Ask: Do you have a system for tracking residents during an evacuation? Do you use wristbands, ID tags, or a headcount system? Do you have a reunification plan if a resident gets separated? The Alzheimer's Association Safe Return program is one tool that can help, but the facility should have its own protocol.

  7. Visit the facility during a drill or ask to observe a practice. If possible, schedule a tour during a scheduled drill. Watch how staff interact with residents: Are they calm, patient, and using redirection techniques? Or do they seem rushed and frustrated? This will tell you more than any document.

  8. Ask about their relationship with local emergency services. Does the facility coordinate with the local fire department, police, or emergency management agency? Some facilities have pre-arranged evacuation routes and transportation agreements with local bus companies or medical transport services. If they don't, ask how they would get residents out if roads are blocked or if they need to move dozens of people at once.

  9. Ask about their plan for residents who are bedbound or who have medical devices. For residents on oxygen, feeding tubes, or ventilators, ask how they will maintain power and supplies during an extended outage. Ask if they have a contract with a medical supply company for emergency deliveries.

  10. Ask for references from other families who have experienced an emergency at the facility. Ask the facility if they can connect you with a current family who has been through a drill or a real emergency. If they hesitate or say they can't, that may indicate they have had problems in the past.

What not to do

  • Do not assume that a facility's emergency plan is adequate just because it is licensed. Licensing requirements vary by state, and some states have minimal standards. Always ask for specifics and verify them by observation or by talking to staff.

  • Do not rely solely on the facility's marketing materials or a tour guide's assurances. A glossy brochure may show a photo of a generator, but it won't tell you if it has been tested recently. Ask to see maintenance logs or drill records.

  • Do not wait until after a disaster to ask these questions. If you wait until a hurricane is forecast or a wildfire is approaching, it is too late. The facility will be focused on the immediate crisis and will not have time to answer your questions thoroughly.

  • Do not assume that a memory care unit within a larger assisted living facility has the same emergency plan as the rest of the building. Memory care units often have locked doors and different staffing ratios. Ask specifically about the plan for the memory care wing, not the whole building.

  • Do not forget to ask about the facility's plan for your loved one's specific needs. If your loved one uses a wheelchair, is hard of hearing, or has a history of wandering, ask how the plan accounts for those needs. A generic plan may not work for them.

  • Do not accept 'we have a plan' as a complete answer. Ask to see it in writing, and ask for details about staffing, transportation, and communication. If the plan is not written down or is only in the director's head, it is not a real plan.

Practical tools

  • Emergency Plan Checklist for Families

    Create a simple checklist to take with you when touring a facility. Include items like: written emergency plan available, drill schedule (quarterly minimum), backup generator with fuel, evacuation chairs for non-ambulatory residents, communication plan for families, and a resident tracking system (e.g., wristbands or headcount). Check off each item and ask for documentation.

  • The 'What If' Question Script

    Use these exact phrases when talking to the facility director: 'What if there is a fire on the second floor at 2 a.m.? How would you evacuate my mom who uses a walker and gets confused at night?' 'What if a hurricane is coming and you have to move all residents to a shelter? How do you transport them? Who goes with them?' 'What if the power goes out for three days? How do you keep the doors locked so residents don't wander?'

  • Alzheimer's Association Safe Return Program

    This is a medical alert system specifically for people with dementia who wander. It includes a bracelet or pendant with a 24/7 response center. While not a substitute for a facility's plan, it can help reunite a resident with the facility if they get separated during an evacuation. Ask the facility if they support or encourage enrollment in this program.

  • American Red Cross Emergency Plan Templates

    The Red Cross offers free downloadable templates for creating a family emergency plan. While designed for home use, you can adapt them to evaluate a facility's plan. Use the template's categories (meeting places, communication, supplies) to ask the facility how they address each one.

  • State Licensing Agency Contact Information

    Before visiting, look up your state's department of health or aging services. Ask if they have records of any emergency preparedness violations or complaints against the facility. You can often search online or call a hotline. This gives you a baseline of the facility's history.

  • Evacuation Drill Observation Log

    If you are allowed to observe a drill, take notes on: how long it takes to clear the building, whether staff use calm redirection with residents, whether residents seem distressed, and whether any residents are left behind or wander off. Compare this to the facility's stated evacuation time goal.

Discuss with your clinician

If your loved one has a medical device (e.g., pacemaker, insulin pump, feeding tube), ask their doctor what specific backup power or emergency supplies the facility should have to keep the device functioning during an extended outage.

If your loved one takes medications that must be refrigerated (e.g., certain insulin or biologics), ask the pharmacist how long the medication can be unrefrigerated and whether the facility's generator powers the medication refrigerator.

If your loved one has a history of severe anxiety or agitation, ask their doctor or a dementia specialist for strategies to help them remain calm during a drill or real emergency. The facility should be able to incorporate these strategies into their plan.

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