Senate Investigates Reputable Senior Placement Service Used by Thousands

For years, A Place for Mom was one of the most trusted names in the senior referral business.

Now, they’re the subject of a Senate investigation.

According to NBC News, The Senate Special Committee on Aging launched an investigation into A Place for Mom in June 2024. Committee Chair Bob Casey, a representative from Pennsylvania, alleged that the popular senior care referral service misled its users about its referral process and discrimination against low-income families.

Since 2000, A Place for Mom has offered its services to the general public. It even referred to itself as the nation’s leading “trusted advisory service” and claims to have helped as many as 700,000 people. On the surface, it seems like a trusted tool for anyone seeking the perfect assisted living facility.

However, further investigation into their business practices revealed that A Place for Mom might not be as helpful as it claims.

“It is clear A Place for Mom is upselling families, and the company ultimately benefits from families spending beyond their means.”

These words, penned by Casey in his letter, accompany claims that A Place for Mom encourages families to pay more for assisted living than they can afford. According to Casey, the frequently asked questions section encourages facilities not to worry if they charge more than a family’s stated upper limit. The letter also notes that the FAQ section also engages in practices that actively bar or limit families who want to use Medicaid to cover assisted living costs.

Upselling is only one issue the investigation uncovered. According to The Washington Post, more than a third of A Place for Mom’s most recommended facilities in 28 states were cited for neglect or substandard care in the past two years. Many of the facilities received the “Best of Senior Living” award for the “exemplary care and support to aging loved ones” they provided to loved ones. When The Washington Post reached out to staff members, they informed the publication that many reviews were fabricated or manipulated. Allegedly, the company went so far as to obtain fake reviews from family and friends.

Sadly, these recommendations may come with a price.

In 2022, a resident of Inspired Living at Bonita Springs passed away from heat exhaustion after spending more than an hour unattended on the patio when the heat index was 100.4 degrees. A year later, A Place for Mom cited the same facility in its “best of” category based on 2023 consumer reviews.

When contacted earlier this year, A Place for Mom informed The Washington Post that it wants families to make an “informed decision” based on their own research.

“We empower family caregivers with access to information, tools, and resources,” A Place for Mom was quoted as saying. “We also encourage families to ask questions of each community to ensure they make an informed decision based on their care needs, financial needs, and overall preferences.”

Kate Granigan, board president of the Aging Life Care Association, hopes for more honesty and openness in the future, adding that she would support legislation to require minimum transparency standards for referral services. In a statement, Granigan said that she hopes advisers will be more open about their expertise, especially in regard to their medical background…or lack thereof.

In the meantime, many states are hurtling full-throttle toward legislation that will regulate referral agencies like A Place for Mom. According to Forbes, Arizona, Colorado, Washington, and Maryland have required the firms to tell consumers how they’re compensating. Similar legislation is currently pending in California.

All in all, experts caution consumers to hold the age-old adage: let the buyer beware. Many referral agencies often hold their best interests at heart, not yours.

More Assisted Living Resources

• Administration for Community Living
• Bob Carlson’s Retirement Watch
• Federal Long-Term Care Insurance Program
• LongTermCare.gov
• National Center for Assisted Living
• National Council on Aging

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