Customer satisfaction scores for independent senior living providers have fallen for a second consecutive year, according to J.D. Power’s 2022 U.S. Senior Living Satisfaction Study.
A combination of a labor shortage, deferred maintenance and building improvement, and rising prices took their toll on resident and family satisfaction.
In a summary of the study, Andrea Stokes, hospitality and senior living practice lead at J.D. Power, says:
“As we come out of the pandemic, many senior living communities are still recovering and struggling to keep up with staffing needs. The key for senior living executives during this transition is to ramp up communication with residents and their families. Now is the time when both frontline staff and executive teams must be highly visible, accessible and forthcoming about facility management.”
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 2,715 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 2022 was 734 on a 1,000-point scale, down 4 points from a year ago. Over the past two years combined, the score has dropped 27 points. The facilities that earned above-average scores for overall customer satisfaction, and their scores, were:
- Life Care Services: 841 out of 1,000 points
- Five Star Senior Living: 739
Several other independent living facilities earned below-average scores: Brookdale Senior Living (726), Atria Senior Living (708), Senior Lifestyle (694) and Holiday Retirement (656).
By contrast, satisfaction was up slightly in the assisted living/memory care category, where four providers topped the average score. The top-ranked assisted living/memory care facilities (scoring above the average of 829) were:
- Brookdale Senior Living: 832 out of 1,000 points
- Enlivant: 832
- Sunrise Senior Living: 831
- Atria Senior Living: 830
Two assisted living/memory care facilities earned average or below-average scores in the category: Senior Lifestyle (820) and Five Star Senior Living (814).
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 for less 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.
Chris Kissell
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