What Makes a Senior Living Community the Best? Behind the Ratings with U.S. News & World Report

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What Makes a Senior Living Community the Best? Behind the Ratings with U.S. News & World Report

U.S. News & World Report, a global authority in healthcare rankings and trusted consumer advice, has just released its 2025 Best Senior Living ratings—recognizing 1,894 senior living communities across the country based on nearly 450,000 survey responses from residents and their families.

Now in its fourth year, this ratings program helps families navigate one of life’s biggest decisions—by highlighting independent living, assisted living, memory care, and continuing care retirement communities that meet high marks in safety, caregiving, engagement, dining, and overall satisfaction.

Every day, families are faced with the deeply personal decision of where a loved one might live and receive care in their later years. It's not just about amenities or star ratings—it’s about trust, safety, belonging, and the promise of a better quality of life. So how do we find a place that truly aligns with what matters most?

Joining me today is Liz Pearce, someone who’s working to bring clarity and compassion to that very decision. Liz is the Product Director for Senior Living at U.S. News & World Report, where she’s helping build tools and experiences that support families navigating housing and care decisions for older adults. With a background in digital media, healthcare, and education technology, she brings extensive experience to her work.

In our conversation, Liz pulls back the curtain on how U.S. News evaluates senior living communities, what makes their approach unique, and what themes are emerging among top-rated communities. We also explore how families can use these ratings to feel more empowered and less alone in their decisions—and how the future of senior living might be shaped by a deeper understanding of what older adults truly need and want.

To view the report, visit HERE.

Listen to our episode HERE.

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About U.S. News & World Report and Liz Pearce

U.S. News & World Report is a globally recognized authority in rankings and consumer advice, committed to helping individuals make informed decisions at every stage of life. Known for its trusted evaluations of hospitals, colleges, and health plans, U.S. News launched its Best Senior Living ratings to bring greater clarity, transparency, and trust to families navigating senior care. Now in its fourth year, the Best Senior Living program evaluates independent living, assisted living, memory care, and continuing care retirement communities based on in-depth resident and family surveys. With a focus on well-being, safety, and quality of life, U.S. News aims to elevate the voices of older adults and support more empowered, compassionate choices in senior living.

Liz Pearce is a product leader with experience in digital media, healthcare and education technology. Currently, she is the product director for senior living at U.S. News & World Report, where she’s focused on building digital experiences that support seniors and their families as they navigate important decisions about housing and care. She also serves as a member of the company’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council. Liz is a graduate of Williams College. She lives in Washington, D.C.

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We are not medical professionals and are not providing any medical advice. If you have any medical questions, we recommend that you talk with a medical professional of your choice. willGather has taken care in selecting its speakers but the opinions of our speakers are theirs alone. Thank you for your continued interest in our podcasts.