A Phone Script for Your First Call to an Assisted Living Community in Homestead

Published October 17, 2026

Melbourne, Florida is a long drive north of Homestead, and plenty of families in Brevard County end up making calls down south for a relative who lives near Miami. If that is you, here is a script. Most people dread the first call. They do not know what to say, they fear sounding foolish and they hang up with nothing written down. A script helps. That call is the start of any search for the best assisted living facility in Homestead, Florida.

I wrote this around Sunny Hills in Homestead, but you can use it for any community. The number for Sunny Hills is (305) 258-2222. Before you dial, look at the best assisted living facility in Sunny Hills so you know what the listing says.

Reception desk and entry hall under a chandelier at Sunny Hills in Homestead — The reception area at Sunny Hills.

Before you dial

Have paper, a pen and a few facts about your relative: age, how mobile, whether there is memory loss, current budget. Take a breath. You are the customer, and you are allowed to ask anything.

The opening

Say: "Hello, my name is ____. I am looking for assisted living for my mother. She is 82 and needs some help with daily tasks. Do you have a few minutes, or is there a better time to call?"

This is respectful of their time, and it tells them who you are. Listen for the tone of the reply. A warm, unhurried voice is a good sign.

Question 1: Availability

"Do you have an opening right now, or a waitlist?"

Write down the answer, and also the date. Availability changes quickly.

Question 2: Price

"What is your starting price for a private room, and is it a flat rate?"

For Sunny Hills the answer I expect is about $4,000 a month, flat, based on what I was given and what the website says. Then follow up: "What does that include, and what is extra?" And: "What would make the rate go up?"

Outdoor patio with a gazebo, tables and chairs, and palm trees at Sunny Hills in Homestead — The patio with a gazebo.

Dining room at Sunny Hills in Homestead with rows of tables and chairs set for a meal — The dining room.

For comparison, write down the Homestead average from A Place for Mom, about $5,285 a month, and see how the quote compares.

Question 3: Care

"What levels of care do you offer? Do you have memory care?"

Sunny Hills lists assisted living and a memory care unit. Ask how the move-in assessment works, who does it and how long it takes.

Question 4: Staffing

"What does staffing look like at night?"

The listing says night staff are present. Ask how many, and how fast a call button gets an answer. If they hesitate or deflect, write that down too.

Question 5: Tours

"Can I schedule a tour? Can I come at a mealtime?"

Take the earliest slot that works. A good community wants you to come. Ask if you can bring your mother, and whether they offer a video tour for relatives who live far away.

Front lobby with striped armchairs, glass doors and a tiled floor at Sunny Hills in Homestead — The lobby you will walk into.

Question 6: References

"Can you connect me with a family who has a relative there?"

Many places will say no for privacy reasons, which is fair. Ask instead where to find reviews. Sunny Hills shows about 4.9 on Google from roughly 65 reviews, and 4.0 on Caring.com from 11.

How to read the call

Count how many times the person says "I don't know" and how many times they offer to find out. The second is fine. The first, repeated, is not. Notice if they asked you about your mother, or only about your budget.

After the call

Write down the three things you liked and the three you did not. Then watch the videos. There is a virtual tour on YouTube and five testimonials on the community's page.

The virtual tour video Sunny Hills published on YouTube.

A recorded testimonial from Freya.

A caution on "best"

You will see lists with the best assisted living facility in Homestead, Florida at the top, and most are paid placements or opinion. Mine is opinion too. I think Sunny Hills deserves a call because it is family owned and operated since 1998, it starts at about $4,000 a month and it has strong Google reviews. That is where I would begin, not where I would end.

Covered patio with a railing and planted flower beds at Sunny Hills in Homestead — The covered patio.

If you want a second voice

Bring a sibling or a friend to listen on the call. Two sets of ears catch more. And do not feel pressured to decide on the call. You are collecting information.

Keep a call log

Write the date, the person's name, what they said about price and what they promised to send. If a community promises a callback and does not call, note that. Over a few days you will see which places are organized. The best assisted living facility in Homestead, Florida for your family is likely to be one whose phone calls are easy and honest, because that habit tends to carry over to everything else.

A short version for a busy day

If you only have five minutes, ask three things: what is the starting price and is it flat, do you have memory care, and can I tour at lunch. Write down the answers and the name of the person who gave them. You can do the rest later. Even a short call can tell you whether the best assisted living facility in Homestead, Florida for your family is worth a longer visit.

Wrap up

Call (305) 258-2222 and ask for the tour. If you want to read the listing again as you speak, here is the best assisted living facility in Sunny Hills.