Arizona assisted living inspection checklist
The 119 things Casa Repaso checks in an Arizona assisted living home, grouped the way a walk-through goes, each with where it comes from and why it matters. Free to read and to print.
Every line was read against the state's published text of Title 9, Chapter 10 (Supplement 26-1, March 31, 2026) and the statutes it cites. The rules on the Arizona Secretary of State's site.
This is a plain-language summary, not legal advice. Where it and the rule differ, the rule wins.
Homes and centers
Arizona licenses an assisted living home for 10 or fewer residents and an assisted living center for 11 or more (A.R.S. 36-401). Some rules are written for homes only: the fire extinguisher, smoke detector and electrical cord rules in R9-10-819(F), for example. They are marked "Homes of 10 or fewer" below.
Three levels of care
A home is licensed for supervisory, personal or directed care. Directed care is for residents who cannot direct their own care, and it brings more rules: memory care training, a plan for wandering, more frequent service plan reviews. Items that apply to one level only are marked.
How a survey works
The Arizona Department of Health Services visits for an initial inspection, for complaints and for the regular survey. What the surveyor finds is written in a Statement of Deficiencies, and the home answers with a Plan of Correction. A home has 10 business days to dispute what was found (A.R.S. 36-424.05(B)).
Article 8 was renumbered in 2025
From June 30, 2025, a new section on memory care became R9-10-816 and every later section moved up by one. Older state documents and many websites still use the old numbers.
| Section | Number since June 30, 2025 |
|---|---|
| Memory care | R9-10-816 (new) |
| Medication services | R9-10-817 (was 816) |
| Food services | R9-10-818 (was 817) |
| Emergency and safety | R9-10-819 (was 818) |
| Environmental standards | R9-10-820 (was 819) |
| Physical plant (the building) | R9-10-821 (was 820) |
The checklist
In the order a walk-through usually goes. Items marked "Every staff member" or "Every resident" are checked once for each person they apply to.
Building and safety 35
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Refrigerator is at 41°F or below
Food kept warmer than this can make residents sick.
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Freezer is at 0°F or below
Frozen food that thaws and refreezes is not safe to serve.
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Hot water at the sinks, tubs and showers residents use is between 95 and 120°F
Water hotter than 120°F can burn fragile skin quickly.
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Rooms are between 70 and 84°F
Older adults get too hot or too cold quickly, and Arizona summers are hard on them. A room where the resident controls the temperature is the exception.
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Medications are locked in a space used only for medications
An unlocked cabinet is one of the first things a surveyor checks.
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Hallways and walkways are clear, with nothing to trip on
Falls are the most common way residents get hurt.
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Cleaning products and poisons are labeled and locked up, away from food and medications
A confused resident can mistake a cleaner for a drink.
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Drinking water is within reach for residents
Dehydration comes on fast in the desert and leads to falls and hospital visits. The only exception is a medical practitioner's order for a resident.
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Trash cans are covered and lined with a bag
Open trash brings pests and smells.
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Today's refrigerator and freezer temperatures are written on the log
The rule sets the temperature limits. Writing them down each day is this home's own habit, and it is the easiest way to show the limits were kept.
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Controlled medication count matches the count sheet
The rule asks for a written procedure. Counting at the end of the day is this home's own habit, and it catches a missing dose the same day.
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Each food and medication refrigerator has a thermometer in its warmest spot
Without a thermometer nobody can know the temperature is safe.
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Medications are stored the way their labels say
Some medications stop working when they are kept too warm or in the light.
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No expired medications are in the medication storage
The rule asks for a written procedure for discarding expired medication, and for the home to follow it. An expired bottle on the shelf shows the procedure was not followed.
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Oxygen tanks are secured upright
A tank that falls can break its valve and become dangerous.
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Flammable liquids are in their original labeled containers or safety containers, locked away from residents
Gasoline, paint and lighter fluid start fires and poison people.
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No frayed or spliced electrical cords are in use
Damaged cords are a common cause of house fires. This rule is written for assisted living homes (10 or fewer residents).
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Nothing blocks any bedroom door
In a fire, staff need to reach every resident in seconds.
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Each bedroom has a window or door that can be used to get straight outside the building
It is the second way out if the hallway is blocked.
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Staff can get the keys to every lockable bedroom and bathroom
A resident who falls behind a locked door needs help right away.
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The bathroom off the common area has soap in a dispenser at each sink
Hand washing is the simplest way to stop an infection from spreading.
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Resident bathrooms have grab bars at the toilet and at the tub or shower
Most serious falls happen in the bathroom. The rule adds: if required to provide for resident safety.
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Dirty laundry is in closed containers, away from clean linens and the kitchen
Soiled linens carry germs to food and clean bedding.
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The home and its equipment are clean
A clean home is the first impression a surveyor and a family get.
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A pest control program is in use and documented
The state asks to see a pest control program in writing.
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Food in the kitchen is free from spoilage, dirt and contamination
Spoiled food can put several residents in the hospital at once.
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Dishes, utensils and food surfaces are clean and in good repair
Cracked or dirty surfaces hold germs that get into meals.
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A fire extinguisher rated 2A-10-BC or higher is mounted where staff can reach it
A small kitchen fire can be stopped in the first minute if the extinguisher is at hand. This rule is written for assisted living homes (10 or fewer residents).
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The fire extinguisher tag shows service within the last 12 months
Surveyors read the tag. An old date is written up. This applies to a rechargeable extinguisher in an assisted living home (10 or fewer residents). A disposable one is replaced when its indicator reaches the red zone.
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The pool is enclosed by a fence or wall at least five feet high
An open pool is a drowning risk for a resident who wanders.
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The pool gate closes and latches by itself and is locked when the pool is not in use
A gate left open defeats the fence.
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A life preserver or shepherd's crook is within reach in the pool area
Staff can pull someone out without getting in the water.
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In the memory care area, residents cannot reach hazardous items
A resident with dementia may not recognize that something can hurt them. Applies when the home provides memory care services.
Quality and drills 19
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The first aid kit is where caregivers can reach it
When someone is bleeding, nobody should have to look for the kit.
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Every smoke detector works
A working detector is what wakes people up in time. This rule is written for assisted living homes (10 or fewer residents). A home may use a fire alarm and sprinkler system instead.
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Smoke detectors were tested this month and the test is written down
The state asks for a monthly test and 12 months of records. This rule is written for assisted living homes (10 or fewer residents).
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There is a smoke detector in each bedroom, each hallway next to a bedroom, each storage room, the laundry room, an attached garage, and the room or hallway next to the kitchen
A room without a detector is a room where a fire can grow unnoticed. This rule is written for assisted living homes (10 or fewer residents).
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The evacuation route is posted in each hallway
New staff and visitors need to see the way out at a glance.
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The disaster plan says when, how and where residents would be moved
In a flood, fire or long power outage there is no time to work this out.
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Caregivers can get to the disaster plan
A plan locked in the office does not help the night shift.
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The disaster plan was reviewed in the last 12 months, with notes on file
Phone numbers, residents and staff change. The plan has to keep up.
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A disaster drill was done on each shift in the last three months
Every shift has to know what to do, including nights.
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An evacuation drill with residents was done in the last six months
Practice shows how long it really takes to get everyone out.
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The last evacuation drill record shows how long it took, who needed help and any problems
The record is what a surveyor reads. A drill with no record did not happen.
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An elopement drill was done on each shift in the last six months
When a resident with dementia walks out, the first minutes matter most.
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A written policy for keeping residents who may wander safe is in use
Directed care homes are expected to plan for wandering before it happens.
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A written quality management program is in place
It is how the home shows it looks for its own problems.
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The quality program was evaluated in the last 12 months
The state asks for a yearly look at whether the program is working.
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Incidents are written up and reviewed the same way each time
Patterns only show when every fall and error is recorded.
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A written backup plan covers shifts when the scheduled manager or caregiver cannot come in
Residents can never be left without a qualified person in the home. This rule is written for assisted living homes (10 or fewer residents).
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Caregiver and assistant caregiver hours are recorded each day and the last 12 months are on file
Surveyors use these records to see who was on duty on a given day.
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The home's TB risk was assessed in the last 12 months
The rule asks for this assessment each year. The yearly TB symptom statements are collected as part of it.
Documents 19
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The license is current and matches this address, care level and number of beds
Everything else rests on the license being right.
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The license is posted where visitors can see it
It is one of the first things a surveyor looks for at the door.
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The list of resident rights is posted
Residents and families should be able to read their rights without asking.
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The state licensing office phone number is posted
Anyone with a concern must be able to call the state.
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The Adult Protective Services phone number is posted
It is the number to call when someone suspects abuse or neglect.
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The Long-Term Care Ombudsman phone number is posted
The ombudsman speaks up for residents, and they need the number.
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A posted notice says where the latest inspection report and plan of correction can be seen
Families have a right to read how the last survey went.
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The manager's certificate and current renewal receipt are posted
It shows who is in charge and that their certificate is current.
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This week's activity calendar is posted where residents can see it
Activities are part of care, and the calendar is the proof they are planned.
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A written scope of services is on file
It says what the home does and does not provide.
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The manager is named in writing and holds a manager certificate
The state must be able to see who is responsible for the home.
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When the manager is away, a caregiver age 21 or older is named in writing as in charge
Someone accountable has to be in the home at all times.
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Staff can get to the policy binder
A policy nobody can find is a policy nobody follows.
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Policies were reviewed in the last three years
Rules change. A dated review shows the binder kept up.
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A medication policy is written and in use
Medication errors are the most serious kind of finding.
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A medical practitioner, registered nurse or pharmacist reviewed the medication administration policy and gave approval
The rule asks for this when staff administer medications. For help with self-administration, the reviewer is a medical practitioner or a nurse.
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An infection control policy is written and in use
One sick resident can become six without clear steps.
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A written policy tells residents how to make a complaint and what happens next
Residents must be able to speak up without fear.
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A written policy covers preventing elopement and responding quickly when it happens
Memory care homes are asked to have this in writing.
Staff 15
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Fingerprint clearance card is valid, or an application made within 20 working days of starting work is on file
The law asks for a valid card, or an application soon after starting. One part of the law says 20 working days and another says 20 days. A person whose card is denied, suspended or revoked may not keep giving care.
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The fingerprint card status was checked and the check is written down
A card can be suspended after it is issued.
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The Adult Protective Services registry was checked before hire
A person on the registry may not be hired. For people already employed, the law asked for this check by March 31, 2025.
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The Adult Protective Services registry was rechecked in the last 12 months
The check has to be repeated every year for every employee.
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Calls to past employers are written down
The home is asked to show it tried to learn about a new hire's past work.
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Baseline TB screening, done on or before the first day of work, is on file
TB spreads easily among older adults living together. The test or statement is dated within the 12 months before the person starts.
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A TB symptom statement from the last 12 months, signed by a medical practitioner, occupational health provider or local health agency, is on file
The rule asks for this each year for everyone who had to be screened, and it names who signs it. It does not name the person's own signature.
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TB signs and symptoms education was given in the last 12 months
Staff who know the signs speak up sooner.
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Adult CPR card is current
The person on duty has to be able to act before the ambulance comes.
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First aid training is current and on file
Cuts, burns and choking happen in every home.
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Caregiver training certificate is on file
Only a trained caregiver may give care alone. A nurse's license, a nursing home administrator's license or certain work before November 1998 can stand in for the certificate.
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Orientation for this job was done before working with residents
New staff need to know this home, not just the job in general.
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Skills were checked and written down before giving care
The home must show each person can do what they are assigned.
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Eight-hour memory care training certificate is on file
Everyone working in a directed care home needs it within 30 days of hire. A certificate earned in the 12 months before hire also counts.
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Four hours of memory care education were completed in the last 12 months
Dementia care skills fade without yearly practice.
Residents 31
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TB evidence is in the record, dated before move-in or within seven days after
It protects the other residents from a disease that spreads in shared homes.
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A TB symptom statement from the last 12 months, signed by a medical practitioner, occupational health provider or local health agency, is in the record
The yearly statement is asked for residents as well as staff.
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A clinician's signed assessment dated within 90 days before move-in is in the record
It shows the home could meet this person's needs from the first day. It is signed by a physician, nurse practitioner, registered nurse or physician assistant.
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The original residency agreement is in the record
It is the promise between the home and the resident.
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The residency agreement was signed by the resident or representative within five working days of move-in
A late or missing signature is a common finding.
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The residency agreement has the manager's signature and date
Both sides have to sign for the agreement to count.
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The residency agreement includes the refund policy
Families ask about refunds at the hardest moments.
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Written resident rights were given at move-in
A resident cannot use rights they were never told about.
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The record shows the resident was shown the exits and evacuation route within 24 hours of move-in
A new resident does not yet know the way out.
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The service plan was completed within 14 days of move-in
The plan is what tells each caregiver how to care for this person.
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The current service plan is signed and dated by the resident or representative and the manager
Signatures show the resident or family took part.
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The service plan lists each service, how much and how often, including help with medications
Surveyors compare the plan with the care they see.
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The service plan was reviewed in the last 12 months
Supervisory care plans are reviewed at least once a year.
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The service plan was reviewed in the last six months
Personal care plans are reviewed at least every six months.
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The service plan was reviewed in the last three months
Directed care plans are reviewed at least every three months.
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A nurse or medical practitioner reviewed the plan, when staff administer medications or nursing care is provided
Medication and nursing tasks need a clinician's eyes on the plan. This applies to medication administration and intermittent nursing, not to help with self-administration.
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There is a practitioner's order for each medication staff give or help with
Giving a medication without an order is one of the most serious findings.
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Each medication given or assisted is recorded with date, time, dose and who helped
The record is the only proof a dose was given. The rule also asks for the medication name, strength and route, and the signature of the person who helped.
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Medication refusals are recorded
A blank space looks like a missed dose. A recorded refusal does not.
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No over-the-counter medicine is given without a practitioner's order
Even common medicines can interact with prescriptions.
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Services provided are written in the record
It shows the care in the plan is the care that was given.
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The record lists the primary care provider and an emergency contact, with phone numbers
Staff need these numbers in the first minute of an emergency.
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The representative's contact and any power of attorney or guardianship papers are in the record
The home must know who may decide for the resident.
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The health care directive, if there is one, is in the record
In an emergency, staff must be able to find the resident's wishes.
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The record shows the resident was told flu and pneumonia vaccines are available
The home must offer both vaccines on site each year.
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The emergency transfer form is filled in and up to date
Paramedics take this form with them to the hospital.
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If the home holds the resident's money, a separate ledger shows what came in and what was spent
Money handled without a ledger can look like exploitation.
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The bedroom has a bell, intercom or other way to call staff
A resident who cannot get up must still be able to call for help.
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The bedroom has a working way to alert caregivers
Directed care residents may not be able to call out for help. The rule also allows another way of alerting caregivers that the home has put in place.
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A representative is named for the resident
A resident who cannot direct their own care needs someone to speak for them.
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Weight is recorded, or a practitioner's statement says not to weigh
Weight loss is often the first sign that something is wrong.
Check these every day, not the week before a survey
Casa Repaso turns this list into a short round on each caregiver's phone, an inspection you can walk in minutes, and a fix list with a second look.
Look around the working sample