Paperwork and legal · 4 min read
What a community will ask for, and where to find it
The documents that come up on almost every admission, so you can gather them once instead of being surprised three times.
Written and reviewed by Cardinal Care Advisors, Buffalo, New York. Published September 15, 2026.
Almost always
- Photo ID and insurance cards, Medicare and any supplement, Medicaid if applicable.
- Health care proxy. Power of attorney if the resident will not sign for themselves.
- The physician's forms: for assisted living, a physical exam on the state form (DOH-3122) within a set number of days, a signed medication list, and the community's own standing orders. Your doctor completes these and CarePair passes them through.
- A list of current medications with doses, and the pharmacy.
- Emergency contacts and the name of the person handling finances.
After a bed is offered
Financial details: income, assets, and recent statements. A community asks for these only when it is ready to admit. CarePair collects them only then, sends them to that one community, and does not keep them.
Sometimes
- MOLST if one exists.
- Long-term care insurance policy.
- Recent hospital discharge summary, which does not replace the physician exam.
- Immunization record, especially for skilled nursing.
In CarePair
Documents live in your vault, encrypted, uploaded once. Each application shows what is still missing before it can be sent. Your advisor can ask for a specific document and it lands on your calendar with an upload box.
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General information for families in Western New York, written by Cardinal Care Advisors. Not medical or legal advice; a physician, an elder law attorney, or a licensed assessor decides the things that need deciding. Tell us if something here is wrong or out of date: hello@thecardinalgroup.org.