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A survey commissioned by A Place for Mom found that 54% of older adults said senior living facilities met practical needs, while 34% said they met personal needs such as privacy and independence. Respondents also cited privacy and loss of control as drawbacks and said trustworthy information, firsthand accounts and transparency could help them evaluate care options.
A survey commissioned by A Place for Mom found that older adults were more likely to say senior living facilities meet practical needs than personal ones: 54% said facilities met needs such as care and meals, compared with 34% who said they met needs including privacy and independence. The findings point to a challenge for nursing homes and other senior living providers as potential residents weigh support against control over daily life.
The report, published Wednesday by Skilled Nursing News, drew on a survey of 1,391 adults ages 60 to 90. A Place for Mom commissioned the survey, which Morning Light Strategy conducted in August. The results reflect respondents’ views and preferences; they do not measure the quality of every facility or independently verify care practices.
Respondents identified both benefits and drawbacks of nursing home living. Thirty-seven percent said maintenance-free living was an advantage, and 30% valued having help available if their needs changed. By contrast, 42% cited less privacy as a major disadvantage, while 36% pointed to reduced control over daily life. About 35% named leaving home and their neighborhood as a drawback, and the same share cited losing independence.
Timing also shaped how respondents viewed a possible move. Just 7% said they might need to move into a nursing home within two years. Thirty-five percent said they would consider a move only after an unexpected change in circumstances, while 18% did not know when they might consider care. Ten percent said senior care would be a last resort.
Privacy and Choice Shape Care Decisions
The findings suggest that meeting clinical and day-to-day needs may not, on its own, address what prospective residents say they want from a care setting. Privacy, independence and familiar routines can affect whether people feel comfortable considering a move, as well as how families compare available options.
The report recommends that families ask specific questions about how a community accommodates schedules, meals, visitors, activities and relationships, rather than focusing only on which type of setting is appropriate. Those questions may help clarify whether a facility can provide needed support while allowing residents choices in everyday life. The survey does not establish that particular practices will produce better outcomes, but it records preferences that providers and families may want to discuss.
Trust is another concern: 56% said finding a trustworthy community was difficult, and 22% said they were very confident that caregivers in a community were well trained. The report says inspection and licensing records, transparent pricing, staff credentials and opportunities to speak privately with current residents or families can help people evaluate a community.
How Respondents Assess Senior Care
Respondents said personal experience and recommendations influence how they view residential care. Fifty-four percent knew someone who had lived in a facility, 36% said family and friends influenced their decisions, and 29% said a facility visit affected their views. About 45% had personally visited a nursing home, while 65% had had an in-depth conversation about someone else’s facility experience. Among those who had those conversations, 81% said the experience met or exceeded expectations.
The survey also asked about technology in post-acute care. Thirty-eight percent were interested in learning more about embedded falls-prevention, detection and response technology that works without a camera. Thirty-four percent expressed similar interest in a smartphone-powered personalized healthy-aging program. Twenty-nine percent said an AI companion might help them, while 46% were slightly interested or not interested at all in that technology.
On belonging, 61% said being welcomed by staff and residents would be a positive, and 57% said relationships with people at a similar stage of life would contribute to belonging. These results add detail to the broader finding: respondents considered not only services and safety, but also whether a community could support connection and continuity.
What the Survey Cannot Establish
The published findings describe responses from adults ages 60 to 90, but the supplied report does not provide details about the survey’s sampling method, response rate or weighting. Those details would help readers judge how closely the respondents represent older adults more broadly. The survey also records perceptions and stated preferences; it does not establish how often facilities meet specific standards in practice.
The figures combine views about senior living and nursing home care in the report’s discussion. The available information does not break out every result by facility type, location or respondents’ care needs. It is also unclear whether respondents’ views differ by prior experience, income or other factors. The results should not be read as a direct comparison of individual providers.
Questions Families Can Ask
The report points families toward more detailed conversations when comparing care options. They can ask how residents make choices about daily schedules, meals and visitors; how staff respond when care needs change; and what opportunities residents have to maintain familiar routines and relationships. Families can also review inspection and licensing information, ask about staff qualifications and pricing, and request private conversations with current residents or their relatives where available.
A Place for Mom CEO Zlotsky said its role is to help families understand their options and ask useful questions. The report does not announce a new policy or a deadline for providers to act. No follow-up survey or specific provider response was included in the source material, so any wider response to the findings remains to be seen.
Key Questions
What did the survey find about practical and personal needs?
Fifty-four percent of respondents said facilities met practical needs such as care and meals. Thirty-four percent said facilities met personal needs including privacy and independence.
What did respondents identify as drawbacks of nursing home living?
Forty-two percent cited less privacy, and 36% cited giving up control over daily life. About 35% each mentioned leaving home and their neighborhood or losing independence.
How soon did respondents expect to consider a move?
Seven percent said they might need to move into a nursing home within two years. Thirty-five percent said they would consider it only if circumstances changed unexpectedly; 18% were unsure when they might consider care.
What information could help families evaluate a community?
The report points to inspection and licensing records, transparent pricing and staff credentials, as well as opportunities to speak privately with residents or their families and visit a community.
Who conducted the survey?
Morning Light Strategy conducted the survey in August for A Place for Mom. It included 1,391 adults ages 60 to 90.
Source: rss
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