Choosing a place

A care home that respects Latino culture: food, Mass, telenovelas

Updated October 15, 2026 · Reviewed against official sources

For many Latino families, the hardest part of thinking about a care home isn't the money: it's picturing Mom eating food she doesn't like, with no one to speak Spanish with her, far from her Mass and her afternoon telenovela. That's a very understandable worry. In a 2017 AP-NORC survey, 49% of Hispanics age 40 and older said they had faced language or cultural barriers in the health care system, and few were confident that the care homes in their area could meet their cultural needs.

The good news is that many care homes have Latino staff and want every resident to feel at home. And you can ask questions, observe, and talk with the staff to find the place that fits best. This article helps you do that.

What the law says (in certified nursing homes)

Nursing homes that take Medicare or Medicaid must follow federal rules on residents' rights. Among them:

• Menus must reflect, with reasonable efforts, the religious, cultural, and ethnic needs of residents, and take their input into account.
• If your loved one doesn't want the food they're served, the nursing home must offer another appealing option of similar nutritional value.
• Residents have the right to choose their activities and schedules, including what time to go to bed and wake up, and to take part in social, religious, and community activities.
• They can receive visits from the people they choose, at the time they choose, with reasonable limits when needed for residents' health or safety.
• Important information must be given to them in a language and format they understand.

Assisted living communities and board and care homes are governed by each state's laws, which vary. That's why the questions below are even more useful in those places. To learn more, read our guide on resident rights and how to file a complaint, and if you're not sure what type of place you're looking for, our article on the different names for senior living in the U.S..

Questions about food

Food is memory and love. Some useful questions:

1. Can I see the menus from the last few weeks? Do you ever serve Latino dishes?
2. Can residents or families give input on the menu? Is there a resident council or committee?
3. If my mom doesn't want what's being served, what other choices does she have?
4. Can I bring her food from home? Is there a refrigerator to keep it in?
5. How do you adapt dishes to the diet the doctor orders, for example for diabetes or high blood pressure?

If you ask ahead of time, many care homes will invite you to eat a meal there one day. It's one of the best ways to get to know the place. For ideas on healthy eating with these conditions, see our article on diabetes and high blood pressure in older Latinos.

Questions about faith

For many older adults, Mass, the rosary, or church services are the center of the week:

• Is there Mass or other religious services at the care home? In Spanish?
• Can a priest, pastor, or minister visit my loved one? Can they give Communion or the anointing of the sick?
• Can she be taken to her church if she wants to go? Is there transportation?
• Can she keep her religious images, a small altar, or her rosary in her room?

Questions about language

Language isn't a small detail: it's what lets your loved one tell someone that something hurts or that she's worried.

• How many staff members speak Spanish, and on which shifts? Is there someone at night and on weekends?
• Can the nurses, not just the aides, communicate in Spanish?
• Do you use professional interpreters for medical conversations?
• Are documents and the care plan available in Spanish?

In our directory, you can search for senior living with Spanish-speaking staff. Confirm the information during your visit, because staff changes over time.

Questions about activities and daily life

• What activities are there each week? Any with Latin music, dancing, lotería, or dominoes?
• Can my dad watch his Spanish-language shows or his soccer games on the shared TV or in his room?
• Do you celebrate days like Mother's Day, Christmas, or their home country's national holidays?
• Can customs like a siesta or their usual dinnertime be respected?

Many care homes welcome ideas from families. If they don't have an activity your loved one would love, ask whether it could be organized: sometimes all it takes is for someone to suggest it.

Questions about family

In Latino families, caregiving is often everyone's job. Ask:

• Are there recommended visiting hours, or can we come at any time?
• Can grandchildren and young children visit?
• Is there a place to get together as a family or celebrate a birthday?
• Who do I call if I have a question or a concern? Does that person speak Spanish?
• Can we take part in care plan meetings? See how to prepare for the care plan meeting.

If siblings live in different cities, our articles on talking with your siblings about caring for your parents and caring from a distance may help.

How to get to know the place beyond the brochure

The answers you get in the office are only one part. During your visit:

• Listen for which languages are spoken in the hallways.
• Look at the activity board and the posted menu.
• If possible, talk with a Latino resident or family member.
• Come back on another day, at a different time, to see another part of the routine.

Use our visit checklist and read how to choose a nursing home or assisted living. Once you decide, plan the move with things that remind them of home: a blanket, photos, their music. Those details are culture too.

💬Frequently asked questions

Are there care homes designed for Latinos?

In some areas with many Latino families, there are places with many Hispanic staff members and residents. You can start with our guided search or senior living near you, and confirm during your visit.

Can I ask them to change something on the menu?

Yes. Bring it up with the kitchen staff or at the resident council. In certified nursing homes, the law requires taking residents' preferences into account when planning the menu.

What if my loved one feels lonely at first?

The first few days are usually a time of adjustment. Frequent visits, phone calls, and a few things from home help a lot. If the sadness doesn't go away, talk with the staff and with her doctor.

Sources

• AP-NORC, Long-Term Care in America: Hispanics' Cultural Concerns and Difficulties with Care (2017): https://apnorc.org/projects/long-term-care-in-america-hispanics-cultural-concerns-and-difficulties-with-care/ (accessed October 15, 2026)
• 42 CFR § 483.60, food and nutrition services in nursing homes (text at Cornell LII): https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/42/483.60 (accessed October 15, 2026)
• 42 CFR § 483.10, resident rights (text at Cornell LII): https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/42/483.10 (accessed October 15, 2026)

This is general information, not medical, legal or financial advice. Rules vary by state and by year: confirm with the official agency that applies to you.

👉Keep reading

Care in Spanish

How to find a nursing home, assisted living or caregiver that speaks Spanish, your right to a free interpreter, and what to ask when you visit.

Choosing a place for care

How to choose a nursing home: assess the need, check the license, star ratings and inspections, visit, what to ask and how to read the contract.

Rights and complaints

Federal nursing home resident rights, how to resolve concerns with the staff, what the ombudsman does and how to file a formal complaint.

What to bring when moving to assisted living or a nursing home

A moving-day checklist for assisted living or a nursing home: documents, medicines, labeled clothes, comforting items, and what to leave at home.