Choosing a place

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

Updated October 15, 2026 · Reviewed against official sources

Moving day is a mix of paperwork and emotions. For many Latino families, it's a time of sadness and also of guilt. Arriving with everything ready helps make that day calmer for your loved one and for you. This list works for an assisted living community, a board and care home, or a nursing home. Adjust it to what the place allows.

Before you pack: three questions for the care home

1. What furniture and appliances are allowed? Some rooms already have a bed and a dresser; others let you bring an armchair or a small table. Ask about extension cords, space heaters, and kitchen appliances, which many care homes don't allow for safety reasons.
2. How much space is there in the closet and drawers? That way you won't bring too much.
3. How is clothing labeled and washed? Ask whether the care home's laundry labels clothes or whether the family should do it.

In nursing homes certified by Medicare or Medicaid, federal rules recognize the resident's right to keep and use their personal belongings, including furniture and clothing, as space allows and as long as it doesn't affect the health, safety, or rights of other residents. Learn more in our guide to resident rights.

Documents and health

Put everything in a folder and make copies. Hand over the copies and keep the originals at home.

• Medicare and Medicaid cards, and health insurance or Medicare Advantage plan cards.
• Photo ID.
• Power of attorney, advance directive, and any medical orders about resuscitation. See this guide to power of attorney and advance directives.
• An up-to-date list of medicines with doses and times, including vitamins, herbal products, and remedies brought from their home country. Show everything to the nursing staff; the care home will tell you how it handles medicines.
• Names and phone numbers for their doctors, pharmacy, and family members, in the order of who to call first.
• A list of allergies and foods they can't eat.
• If they're coming from the hospital, the discharge papers. See what to do after leaving the hospital.

Clothing and personal care

• Comfortable clothes that are easy to put on, for about seven days: pants with an elastic waist, blouses or shirts with large buttons or no buttons, sweaters.
• Closed, non-slip shoes that fit well, and slippers with rubber soles. Loose flip-flops make falls more likely; it's better to leave them at home.
• Pajamas, a robe, and enough underwear.
• A coat or jacket, depending on the weather.
• Toiletries they always use: their favorite lotion, soap, or perfume. Familiar scents are calming.
• Glasses, hearing aids, dentures, and their cases, all labeled with their name. Ask how the staff stores them at night.
• Walker, cane, or wheelchair, also labeled.

Label everything. Use iron-on labels or a fabric marker with their full name. Clothes without a name get lost easily in a shared laundry.

Things that make it feel like home

This is the most important section. A room with familiar things helps your loved one feel safe, especially if they have memory problems.

• Family photos with the names written on the back or on a labeled frame, so the staff can talk with them about the photos.
• Their favorite blanket or quilt and their pillow.
• Faith items: a rosary, an image of the Virgin Mary, a Bible, or a prayer book.
• A radio or simple music player with their music: boleros, rancheras, salsa, or the Spanish-language station they always listen to.
• A large clock and a calendar.
• Something to pass the time: magazines in Spanish, crossword puzzles, knitting, a deck of cards.
• A simple phone with the important numbers saved, and its charger.

If your loved one has dementia, also read how to prepare a family member with dementia for a move.

What to leave at home

• Valuable jewelry, family rings, and large amounts of cash. If they want to have some money on hand, ask whether the care home keeps an account for personal expenses.
• Original documents.
• Medicines that haven't been handed over to the staff.
• Small rugs or loose mats, which can cause trips.
• Items that couldn't be replaced if they got lost.

Make an inventory with photos of what you bring, and ask whether the care home has a belongings form to keep in their file. If something goes missing, that list helps you and the staff find it quickly.

On moving day

• Arrive early in the day, when there's more staff and your loved one is usually less tired.
• Set up the room before your loved one sees it, if possible, so they arrive at a place that already feels welcoming.
• Introduce your loved one to the person who will care for them and share their habits: what they like to be called, what time they get up, what they like for breakfast, and whether they prefer to be spoken to in Spanish. Read how a care home can respect your loved one's culture.
• Ask what the best times are to call and visit in the first few weeks.
• It's normal for your loved one to feel sad or disoriented the first few days, and for you to feel that way too. If you have concerns about their care, talk them over with the nurse in charge or the social worker: the team would rather know early so they can help.

💬Frequently asked questions

Can they bring their own TV or armchair?

Many care homes allow it if there's room and the TV is in good condition. Ask beforehand, along with the rules on extension cords.

Who gives them their medicines?

It depends on the type of place and your state's rules. In a nursing home, the nursing staff gives them. In assisted living, staff may help with medicines or give reminders, depending on what their license allows. Ask how it works and whether the care home's pharmacy can fill prescriptions.

What about the food they're used to?

Ask whether the kitchen can make dishes your loved one will recognize and whether the family can bring food during visits, and under what conditions. Also tell them about any diet the doctor has ordered.

If you're still looking for a place, use our guided search, compare options, and bring the visit checklist. If you haven't talked about the move with your loved one yet, read how to talk with Mom or Dad about moving.

Sources

• eCFR, 42 CFR 483.10, resident rights: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-42/chapter-IV/subchapter-G/part-483/subpart-B/section-483.10 (accessed October 15, 2026)
• Minnesota Department of Health, copy of the federal resident bill of rights: https://www.health.mn.gov/facilities/regulation/billofrights/docs/fedresbor_eng_reg.pdf (accessed October 15, 2026)
• CDC, STEADI, fall prevention for older adults: https://www.cdc.gov/steadi/ (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

How to prepare a loved one with dementia for a move

Tips for moving a loved one with Alzheimer's or dementia to a care facility: what to do before, on moving day and in the first weeks of adjustment.

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

What to ask to find out whether a care home will honor your Latino loved one's food, faith, language, and customs, and what the law says.

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.