Hi there, I just did one of these shops recently, with your same concerns. After completing the shop and report, it was pretty painless, so I applied for another and just got accepted for that one. One of the reasons why they have just sat there is because of the time constraint. I work full-time but was able to adjust my work day to do a 10am appointment. I know many may not have that flexibility. Part one is a recorded phone call. You have to be super consistent between the phone call and visit with your loved one you are considering it for.
The visit, for me, took a little over an hour. They ask a bunch of questions and then do a tour. I found it to be lovely and also a wake up call that I may need to sell some organs if I ever plan on having decent care in my golden years. The biggest perk, though, over all the money was the hot, fresh baked apple pie I was presented with when I was leaving. It really is a great shop and as long as you can thoroughly play the part it should be an easy $80 bucks.