Finding the right senior living facility is getting tougher, with resident satisfaction scores dropping sharply in 2021, according to J.D. Power’s 2021 U.S. Senior Living Satisfaction Study.
Just two providers of independent-living facilities earn higher-than-average marks from residents and families in this year’s survey.
Things are a bit better in the assisted living/memory care category, with three providers topping the average score.
Customer satisfaction scores tumbled in 2021, as providers struggled to offer the level of service that residents and families expect. J.D. Power says a nationwide labor shortage and various challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic are weighing on providers and hampering their ability to meet residents’ needs.
In a press release, Andrea Stokes, senior living practice leader at J.D. Power, says:
“Senior living community residents and their families were incredibly appreciative of the services they received at the height of the pandemic. Now we are seeing a growing frustration, especially among independent living residents. Clearly, the labor shortage is having an effect here, with some of the sharpest satisfaction declines observed in areas related to community and apartment maintenance.”
J.D. Power ranked senior living facilities according to six categories:
- Community buildings and grounds
- Community staff
- Dining
- Price paid for services received
- Resident activities
- Resident apartment/living unit
The study was based on nearly 3,600 responses from “residents living in an independent community — or from family members/decision-makers on behalf of residents of assisted living/memory care communities — within the previous three years,” J.D. Power says.
The average score for independent living facilities in 2021 was 738 on a 1,000-point scale and is down 23 points from a year ago. The facilities that earned above-average scores for overall customer satisfaction, and their scores, were:
- Life Care Services: 817 out of 1,000 points
- Atria Senior Living: 742
Several other independent living facilities earned below-average scores: Brookdale Senior Living (735), Five Star Senior Living (731), Senior Lifestyle (698) and Holiday Retirement (679).
The top-ranked assisted living/memory care facilities (scoring above the average of 825, down 12 points from last year) were:
- Atria Senior Living: 845 out of 1,000 points
- Senior Lifestyle: 831
- Enlivant: 828
Three assisted living/memory care facilities earned average or below-average scores in the category: Five Star Senior Living (825), Sunrise Senior Living (825) and Brookdale Senior Living (817).
Finding the right place to live in retirement
Long before you look for the right senior living community, you will simply need to decide where to retire. You can find tips for discovering the perfect “home sweet home” during retirement in:
If retirement is still a ways off, turning to the right financial professional now can help you build enough wealth so you won’t have to settle when choosing a senior living community or a place to relocate. Stop by Money Talks News’ Solutions Center and search for the perfect financial adviser.
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