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A survey commissioned by senior-care referral platform A Place for Mom found that older adults were more likely to say nursing homes meet practical needs than personal needs such as privacy and independence. Respondents also pointed to trust, transparent information and staying connected to familiar routines as important factors in choosing care.
A survey of 1,391 adults ages 60 to 90 found that more respondents believe senior living facilities meet practical needs such as care and meals than personal needs such as privacy and independence. The report, commissioned by A Place for Mom and conducted by Morning Light Strategy, points to a challenge for nursing homes and other senior living providers: showing how residents can receive support while retaining choice over daily life.
About 54% of respondents said facilities met practical needs, while 34% said they met personal needs including privacy and independence. The survey covered potential residents’ views of senior living care, including nursing homes; the figures describe respondents’ perceptions, not an inspection or performance assessment of specific facilities.
Responses showed both the appeal and the drawbacks of residential care. Thirty-seven percent cited maintenance-free living as an advantage, and 30% said available help if their needs changed was a major plus. By comparison, 42% identified less privacy as a significant disadvantage; 36% cited less control over daily life, while 35% each pointed to leaving their home and neighborhood and losing independence.
Respondents also identified what could build confidence in a provider. Fifty-six percent said finding a trustworthy community was difficult, and 22% were very confident that caregivers in a community were well trained. Inspection and licensing records, transparent pricing, staff qualifications and opportunities to speak privately with residents or their families were among the factors the report said could help build trust.
Choice Is Part of Care
The findings suggest that decisions about senior care involve more than whether meals, safety and hands-on assistance are available. For older adults weighing a move, privacy, routine, relationships and control can shape whether a facility feels acceptable. Providers that explain how residents can make everyday choices may address concerns that practical services alone do not resolve.
The figures also offer families concrete topics for conversations with prospective communities: how residents set schedules, receive visitors, choose activities and meals, maintain relationships, and adjust support as their needs change. The survey does not establish that any particular practice improves outcomes, but it records what respondents say matters to them when considering care.
Trust is another pressure point. Many respondents said it was difficult to identify a trustworthy community, while only a smaller share expressed strong confidence in staff training. Making records, credentials, pricing and resident experiences easier to examine could help families compare options using information beyond marketing materials.
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When Older Adults Consider Moving
Most respondents did not expect to move into a nursing home soon. Just 7% said they might need to move within two years; 35% said they would consider a move if circumstances changed unexpectedly, and 18% were unsure when they might consider care. Ten percent described a move to senior care as a last resort.
The report found that personal experience and word of mouth play a role in how people assess facilities. About 54% said knowing someone who had lived in a facility influenced their views, and 36% said family and friends affected their decisions. Around 45% had visited a nursing home, while 65% had discussed another person’s experience in depth. Among those who had such conversations, 81% said the experience they heard about met or exceeded expectations.
Belonging also figured in respondents’ views. The report said 61% considered a welcome from staff and residents a positive, and 57% said relationships with people in a similar stage of life could strengthen their sense of belonging. A Place for Mom operates a platform that includes 500,000 family reviews of senior living communities and home care agencies; that platform is separate from the survey sample.
What the Survey Cannot Establish
The report summarizes answers from 1,391 adults ages 60 to 90, but the supplied findings do not specify the survey’s sampling method, geographic coverage, response rate or margin of error. It is therefore unclear how closely the results represent older adults generally, or how views vary by location, health needs or type of facility.
The results report perceptions and stated preferences; they do not independently verify whether facilities meet care standards or whether particular approaches preserve independence. The findings also do not show which specific communities respondents evaluated. The report’s technology responses—including interest in falls-prevention tools and AI companionship—measure interest, not adoption or effectiveness.
Questions for Families and Providers
The report recommends that families begin conversations before a move becomes urgent and ask prospective providers about the parts of daily life respondents said matter: privacy, routines, meals, visitors, activities and changing care needs. Families can also request information on inspection and licensing records, pricing and staff credentials, and ask whether they can speak privately with current residents or relatives.
For providers, the findings point to an opportunity to describe how support works in practice and what choices residents retain. No specific policy change, follow-up survey or response from nursing home operators was included in the supplied report. Whether facilities will change their practices—or whether a later survey will measure any change—remains unknown.
Key Questions
What did the survey find about nursing homes?
About 54% of respondents said facilities met practical needs, compared with 34% who said they met personal needs such as privacy and independence. The results reflect survey responses, not an independent evaluation of individual nursing homes.
What did respondents say they liked about residential care?
Thirty-seven percent cited maintenance-free living as an advantage, and 30% valued having help available if their needs changed. About 26% said institutional settings could offer more chances to socialize and make friends.
What concerns did older adults report?
The most commonly cited disadvantage was less privacy, named by 42%. Respondents also pointed to reduced control over daily life, loss of independence and leaving their home and neighborhood.
How can families evaluate a community, according to the report?
The report identifies inspection and licensing records, transparent pricing, staff qualifications and private conversations with current residents or their families as information that can help build trust. It also encourages families to ask how a community accommodates routines, visitors and personal choices.
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