Senior living
Most older adults expect finding a trustworthy senior living community to be hard, survey finds
A survey of 1,391 adults aged 60 to 90 found 35% would wait for a health scare or other unexpected change before moving, and only 7% would consider moving within two years.
Key facts
- A Place for Mom released its 2026 Next Generation of Senior Living report on October 7, based on a survey of 1,391 adults aged 60 to 90.
- Fifty-six percent said they expect finding a trustworthy senior living community to be difficult.
What happened
A Place for Mom released its 2026 Next Generation of Senior Living report on October 7, based on a survey of 1,391 adults aged 60 to 90. Fifty-six percent said they expect finding a trustworthy senior living community to be difficult.
Many plan to wait. Thirty-five percent said they would consider moving only after an unexpected change, such as a fall or illness, and just 7% would consider moving within the next two years. Respondents weighed practical needs over personal wants, 54% to 34%, when describing what would matter most in a community, such as care availability and cost over amenities.
What it means for families
Waiting for a crisis usually means choosing quickly, often from a hospital bed, with fewer openings to compare. Looking early does not commit anyone to moving.
For example: a couple in their late 70s who tour two or three communities now, while both are healthy, will know costs, waitlists and care levels if one of them has a stroke next year.
Questions to ask on a tour include staffing at night, what happens when care needs rise, and how fees have changed over the past three years.
What this means in New York: New York licenses assisted living and enhanced assisted living separately, and state inspection reports are public on the Department of Health website.
What to do this week
- Talk with a parent now about where they would want to live if they needed more help.
- Tour at least two options before there is an emergency and write down monthly costs.
- Check state inspection reports for any community you are considering.
- Ask each community what level of care triggers a move to a higher-cost unit.
Sources
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