4. Consider bringing in the pros. The National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers has chapters across the country and can help you find a trained care manager who can assess the level of care an older adult needs, find senior communities in your area, navigate the application process, and prepare for a move. These services can be especially useful if you don't live in the same state as the person who's moving and can't be there to manage the day-to-day aspects of her transition.

5. Help get her finances in order. This is crucial in order to know what kind of care she can afford and how she plans to pay for it. Also, many continuing care retirement communities and other facilities will ask for thorough documentation of her income and assets in order to be sure she'll be able to pay for her care over the long haul.

If she doesn't have an accountant who can help you pull the paperwork together, the Society of Certified Senior Advisors can refer you to a financial planner who specializes in assisting older clients.

6. Get her home appraised. If she's planning to sell her home to finance a move, today's topsy-turvy housing market makes a professional appraisal a must before assessing her financial position.

7. Talk to a doctor. Deciding what kind of community is best for her is a medical decision as well as a personal one. Her family physician may be able to evaluate her and make a recommendation. If not, ask for a referral to a geriatrician who can do a full evaluation, or go to the American Medical Association's Doctor Finder and search under "geriatrics" in your area.

8. Shop around. In most areas of the country, there's a wide range of options when it comes to eldercare communities. A good place to start is Caring.com's local services directory, where you can search for nursing homes, continuing care communities, and assisted living facilities in your area. Your local Area Agency on Aging should be able to steer you to local communities. Your local Chamber of Commerce might also be able to help. Once you've narrowed down the list, tour several places -- with the person in your care -- and make sure to take time to talk to residents, eat a meal, and really get the feel of the place before making a decision.

9. Read the fine print. Yes, those long contracts can be overwhelming, but don't give in to the temptation to skim documents before signing (or asking her to do so). The contracts and agreements that come with moving into any kind of community may well spell out the parameters of the care she will -- or won't -- receive for the rest of her life, so make sure you, and she, understand exactly what you're agreeing to before putting pen to paper.

If you spot something worrisome or have questions the facility can't answer to your satisfaction, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys can refer you to a lawyer who can go over the paperwork with you.

10. Plan the move logistics carefully. Downsize and deal with belongings now to avoid moving day chaos. An estate liquidator can often help you with selling what she won't need, and a senior move manager can help with all the logistics. Moveseniors.com has a searchable database of certified relocation and transition specialists.