AI Helps Families Shortlist Senior Living, but Gut Feelings and Staff Interactions Seal the Deal, U.S. News Finds

Despite 70% adoption of AI assistants during research, 75% of families refuse to sign a community contract without independent validation and an in-person tour.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in healthcare decision support, today released new research exploring how artificial intelligence is shaping how families discover, compare and choose senior living communities. The U.S. News-issued online survey, fielded by an independent third-party platform to more than 500 U.S. adults actively researching or recently transitioned into senior living communities, found that more than two-thirds (70%) use generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude to streamline their search. This shift is propelled significantly by younger family members – particularly grandchildren – who are adopting AI at the highest rates to research care options, draft inquiries and vet safety records for grandparents.

As AI acts as an initial filter during a family's senior living community search, senior living operators are now engaging with prospective residents and families who arrive far more informed than in years past. However, before making the final decision of selecting the community, consumers rely heavily on independent validation through trusted sources, staff connection and in-person tour impressions.

Key findings include:

• Widespread AI adoption led by younger family members: Seven in 10 respondents (70%) actively use AI assistants to assist in their search. Adults between the ages of 18 and 44 drive adoption at the highest rates, using AI not only for discovery (53%) and side-by-side facility comparisons, but also to draft outreach emails (33%) and investigate safety records and complaints (32%).
• High initial trust in AI recommendations: Across all age groups, 82% of AI users state they would trust an AI recommendation enough to book a senior living community tour. Willingness to act on AI suggestions is highest among adults ages 18 to 44 (88%), compared to 61% of adults 65 and older.
• Independent validation is a must: Despite trusting AI to shortlist options, 75% of respondents agree or strongly agree that they would not make a final decision without cross-referencing an independent evaluator, such as U.S. News' Best Senior Living ratings.
• Frequent AI inaccuracies cause friction: Among respondents with sufficient experience to judge accuracy, 51% reported encountering incorrect AI-generated data. Top discrepancies included misstated care levels and amenities (60%), incorrect community availability or wait times (44%), outdated pricing (35%) and errors citing nonexistent communities (21%).
• In-person connection remains the deciding factor: While AI tools help narrow the field, personal interactions with residents and staff carry the most weight in the decision process (40%) and 43% of respondents identified a positive "gut feeling" during an on-site tour as the deciding factor that gave them confidence to sign a residency agreement.
• Consumers prioritize clear costs and authentic reviews: More than half of families (52%) say clear pricing and fee structures are a must when visiting a senior living community's website, while 34% emphasize the importance of seeing first-person resident and family reviews to validate their decision.

"While AI tools help families to quickly evaluate options and gather key information upfront, our research shows that senior living communities must educate and serve the digital savvy consumers by providing third-party trusted independent ratings and price transparency online," said Sumita Singh, executive vice president of Health at U.S. News. "U.S. News' research findings emphasize that communities need a multi-pronged strategy entailing not only third-party validation of their services, but also the tried and true onsite staff development and a strong consumer brand to effectively differentiate in an AI search-enabled world."

To evaluate and compare senior living communities, families can explore U.S. News' Best Senior Living ratings. For additional guidance on navigating care options and tours, explore the "Levels of Senior Living: A Complete Guide" and use "How to Choose the Right Senior Living Facility: A Checklist" to prepare for on-site visits.

About U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is the global leader for journalism that empowers consumers, citizens, business leaders and policy officials to make confident decisions in all aspects of their lives and communities. A multifaceted media company, U.S. News provides unbiased rankings, independent reporting and analysis, and consumer advice to millions of people on USNews.com each month. A pillar in Washington for more than 90 years, U.S. News is the trusted home for in-depth and exclusive insights on education, health, politics, the economy, insurance, personal finance, travel, automobiles, real estate, careers and consumer products and services.

SOURCE U.S. News & World Report, L.P.