Assisted Living Contract Sample (with a free annotated PDF)
Key takeaways
- There is no national standard assisted living contract — every community writes its own.
- Our free annotated sample PDF shows the usual structure and flags what to check in each part.
- It is a teaching tool, not a blank template: don't sign it, and read your community's real agreement beside it.
- "Residency agreement", "resident agreement", and "residence and care agreement" usually mean the same document.
An assisted living contract — the residency agreement — is the document that sets a resident's monthly cost, the services included, how fees can rise, and when either side can end the arrangement. There is no national standard form: every community writes its own. Below is a free annotated sample that shows the usual structure, plus a walkthrough of what to check in each part.
Is there a standard assisted living contract template?
No. Unlike a residential lease, an assisted living residency agreement has no national standard form. Each community drafts its own to match its pricing, its state license, and its care model. Most states require certain items to be disclosed — pricing, included services, staffing, and discharge criteria — but not in any set format.
That is why a blank template you download and sign is risky: it can leave out protections your state requires or describe charges that don't match your community's fee schedule. Use a sample to understand the agreement you're given; don't try to substitute one.
Other names for the same document
Communities use different titles for the same contract:
- Residency agreement — the most common term.
- Resident agreement — the same thing.
- Residence and care agreement — common where housing and care are described together.
- Admission agreement — often used in states that regulate assisted living alongside nursing facilities.
The title doesn't change what you check. The assisted living contract guide covers the substance.
A walkthrough of the sample, section by section
The annotated PDF follows the order below. Your community's agreement will reorder these, but the substance usually maps across.
- Parties and signatories. The community's legal entity (often a holding company) and who signs — and whether a family member is signing as agent under a power of attorney or as a personal guarantor. Those are very different commitments.
- The apartment and base monthly fee. The rate for the specific unit, not the “starting at” price, and the second-person fee if any.
- What the base fee includes. Meals, housekeeping, laundry, utilities, transportation — this list is the reference point for every later charge. See hidden and additional fees.
- Care services and levels. How help with daily activities is assessed and priced, and who controls a level change. Usually the second-largest line after rent.
- Additional and third-party charges. Incontinence supplies, escorts, extra transportation, and services billed by outside providers.
- Rate increases. Notice period, frequency, and whether any cap is stated. See rate increases.
- Move-in fees and deposits. Community fee, security deposit, assessment fee — and which are refundable. See community fees and refunds.
- Notice, discharge, and refunds. The notice each side must give and what is returned on move-out. See move-out and discharge terms.
- Responsible party, arbitration, governing law. The clauses that decide what happens if something goes wrong. See responsible-party clauses.
How to use the sample
- Open your community's actual agreement next to the sample.
- For each teal “What to check” note, write the matching question for your community and ask for a written answer before anyone signs.
- Read the agreement together with the fee schedule for the specific apartment and any written offer — the real cost is rarely on one page.
- Take the responsible-party, arbitration, and discharge sections to an elder-law attorney if anything is unclear. Your state's Long-Term Care Ombudsman can also help at no cost.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I get a sample assisted living contract?
CareCheck offers a free annotated sample residency agreement as a PDF. It is written for education, uses a fictional community, and marks what to check in each section. Some state Long-Term Care Ombudsman offices and elder-law clinics also publish samples for their state.
Is there a free assisted living contract PDF?
Yes. The annotated sample on this page is free to download and share. It shows the typical structure of a residency agreement — fees, care levels, increases, discharge — with a plain-language note on what matters in each part. It is not a form to sign.
Can I use a residency agreement template?
No usable blank template exists, because each community's agreement is written to its own pricing, license, and state rules. A generic template you sign could leave out protections or misstate charges. Use a sample to understand the real agreement instead.
What is the difference between a residency agreement and a resident agreement?
Nothing meaningful. "Residency agreement", "resident agreement", "residence and care agreement", and "admission agreement" are all names for the contract between a resident and an assisted living community. The content is what matters, not the title.
Have the actual documents?
CareCheck reads the residency agreement, fee schedule, care assessment, and any written offer as one set — pulling out every fee, linking each to the page it came from, and flagging where the documents disagree.
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