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A survey commissioned by A Place for Mom found that older adults more often believe senior living facilities meet practical needs than personal ones such as privacy and independence. The findings also point to concerns about trust, control over daily routines and staying connected to familiar people and activities.
A survey of 1,391 adults ages 60 to 90 found a gap between older adults’ views of senior living facilities’ practical care and their ability to support privacy and independence. In a report published Wednesday, A Place for Mom said 54% felt practical needs were met, compared with 34% who said personal needs, including privacy and independence, were fulfilled.
The survey was commissioned by A Place for Mom and conducted by Morning Light Strategy in August. Its findings cover older adults’ opinions about senior living, including nursing homes, and are not a direct measure of care quality at individual facilities. The report says respondents want support with care needs while retaining choices about daily routines, relationships and how they spend their time.
Respondents identified both benefits and drawbacks. Thirty-seven percent cited maintenance-free living as an advantage, and 30% said having help available if their needs change was a major plus. At the same time, 42% named reduced privacy as a significant disadvantage; 36% cited losing control over daily life, and 35% each pointed to leaving their home and neighborhood or losing independence.
The report also found that many respondents do not anticipate a move soon. Just 7% said they might need to move into a nursing home within two years. Thirty-five percent said they would consider a move if circumstances changed unexpectedly, while 18% were unsure when they might consider care. Ten percent said nursing home care would be a last resort.
Privacy and Choice Shape Care Decisions
The results suggest that families evaluating care may need to look beyond whether a facility can provide meals, safety and assistance. For older adults, the survey indicates that privacy, independence and familiar routines are also part of what makes a setting acceptable. Those preferences can affect whether someone considers a move, how they assess a community and whether they feel at home after arriving.
The findings also underline the challenge of building confidence in a decision that many people approach reluctantly. Fifty-six percent said finding a trustworthy community was difficult, and only 22% said they were very confident that caregivers in a community were well trained. These responses reflect reported perceptions, not verified staffing or training assessments.
For operators and families, the report points to concrete questions: How much control do residents have over schedules, meals and visitors? Can they speak privately with current residents or relatives? Are pricing and staff qualifications clear? Answers may help families compare communities on the personal experience as well as the practical services offered.
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What Older Adults Value in Senior Living
The survey describes a preference for support without giving up control. About 26% saw greater opportunities to socialize and make friends as a benefit of an institutional setting. But respondents also emphasized connection to home, neighborhood and familiar routines, concerns that can complicate a move even when care is needed.
Firsthand information featured prominently in the findings. Fifty-four percent said knowing someone who lived in a facility influenced their views, while 36% said family and friends affected their decisions and 29% cited visiting a facility. Around 45% had personally visited a nursing home. Among respondents who had an in-depth conversation about another person’s experience in a facility, 81% said that experience met or exceeded expectations.
The report said inspection and licensing records, transparent pricing, staff credentials, community tours and private conversations with residents or their families could help build trust. It also identified belonging as a consideration: 61% viewed a welcoming response from staff and residents positively, and 57% said relationships with people at a similar stage of life would add to their sense of belonging.
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Survey Measures Views, Not Facility Quality
The report presents survey responses rather than inspections or clinical outcomes. The supplied findings do not give a margin of error or enough methodological detail to establish how closely the respondents’ views represent all older adults or people considering nursing home care. The results also combine views about senior living settings and should not be read as ratings of every nursing home.
It is not clear from the reported figures how perceptions vary by care needs, location, income or prior experience. Nor do the findings show whether facilities that offer more choice and privacy receive better satisfaction or care outcomes. Respondents’ concerns about staff training are perceptions; the report does not independently verify caregivers’ qualifications.
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Questions for Families and Operators
The report offers no announced follow-up study or policy change. Its immediate practical implication is for families to start conversations before a crisis, since only 7% of respondents anticipated a possible move within two years, while many said a change in circumstances could prompt one. Families can ask how a community handles privacy, schedules, visitors, meals, activities and changing care needs, and request clear information about costs and credentials.
Operators can use the findings to explain how residents retain choice and relationships in everyday life, rather than relying only on descriptions of services. Facility visits and conversations with residents and families may give prospective residents information they can assess directly. Whether communities change their practices or communications in response to the survey remains unknown.
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Key Questions
What did the survey find about practical and personal needs?
Fifty-four percent of respondents said senior living facilities met practical needs, while 34% said personal needs such as privacy and independence were fulfilled.
Who took part in the survey?
The survey included 1,391 adults ages 60 to 90. A Place for Mom commissioned it, and Morning Light Strategy conducted it in August.
What did respondents say were the main drawbacks of nursing home living?
Reduced privacy was cited by 42%. Other concerns included losing control over daily life (36%), leaving home and the surrounding neighborhood (35%), and losing independence (35%).
What information could help families assess a facility?
The report points to inspection and licensing records, transparent pricing, staff credentials, facility tours and opportunities to speak privately with current residents or their families.
Does the survey show that nursing homes fail to provide good care?
No. The findings describe older adults’ reported perceptions; they do not assess clinical outcomes or independently rate individual facilities. The survey indicates a gap in reported views of practical versus personal needs, not a facility-by-facility care audit.
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