We recently received a question from a myLifeSite user about how resident advisory councils in continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs or life plan communities) typically work with management. He wanted to know how these “voice of the resident” committees influence financial decisions, healthcare services, and master planning changes being considered by community leadership.
This is an important issue for prospective residents and for leaders across the senior living industry. To gain market share, CCRCs and other 55-plus communities must meet their target market’s expectations. Yet research and industry experience show many providers fall short when it comes to listening to residents and acting on their feedback.
Many residents don’t feel heard
Holleran, a consulting firm that gathers resident and employee feedback for senior living communities, conducts surveys on resident engagement, experience, culture, and move-in/exit impressions. Their work allows communities to benchmark results against peers and identify areas for improvement.
Over the past three years, Holleran has surveyed roughly 77,000 independent living residents, more than 11,000 assisted living residents, and nearly 60,000 senior living employees. Their resident surveys commonly measure four engagement markers: voice, connection, well-being, and fulfillment.
Michele Holleran, Ph.D., notes that “voice” consistently scores lower than the other engagement markers. She points to several reasons for this trend. Often there is a gap between residents’ perceptions and administrators’ intentions: staff and leadership may believe they are responding to resident suggestions, but residents don’t always see those actions as adequate or transparent.
Residents also tend to give low ratings to their own resident associations or councils. Holleran believes increased transparency in decision-making is essential—residents want to understand how and why decisions that affect them are made.
A varied response to the voice of the resident
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to how resident advisory councils function. Some communities foster highly engaged councils that management consults regularly about matters affecting daily life. Other communities seldom involve residents in meaningful ways.
For some prospective residents, the degree to which management listens is a critical criterion; for others, it may be less important. Still, an industry-wide shift is evident: more residents want a say in decisions that directly impact their daily lives, including dining, expansion projects, healthcare services, and amenities.
Listening to residents does not mean granting every request. Some complaints may be unfounded or impractical. What matters is how feedback is handled: is there a clear, respectful, and productive channel for communicating with management? Does leadership demonstrate it cares about resident input, even when it cannot accommodate every demand?
With Baby Boomers remaining fiercely independent as they enter retirement, communities that fail to improve how they hear and respond to residents risk losing appeal among discerning prospects.
Tapping the expertise of residents
Listening well is particularly important in CCRCs, which often charge premium fees and promote extensive services and amenities. Residents who pay more understandably expect value and high-quality care, but satisfaction also depends on feeling respected and heard.
Retirement communities are full of people with valuable lived experience and professional know-how—retired engineers, accountants, planners, nurses, and others whose expertise can directly inform community operations. Administrators who ignore this resource miss opportunities for cost savings, improved services, and stronger resident relations.
For example, residents have been known to identify practical solutions that save significant sums on utilities or operations when given a chance to contribute. Actively soliciting resident expertise demonstrates respect and can deliver measurable benefits.
The voice of the resident is a show of respect
At the industry level and within individual communities, listening to residents should be systematized and embedded in culture. People move into retirement communities to make them their homes; they should feel comfortable, respected, and confident that their voices matter.
Issues will inevitably arise in any community. When they do, residents deserve a clear avenue to raise concerns with the reasonable expectation that their input will be heard, considered, and addressed when appropriate. Treating the voice of the resident as a valued part of community governance is both good practice and a sign of respect.