A Place for Mom alternatives: how free senior-care referral sites make money
What public reporting says about how large referral services are paid, the 2024 Senate inquiry, and other ways to find senior care.
By Nana’s List. Updated September 29, 2026. 5 minute read.
Free to families, paid by facilities
A Place for Mom is one of the best-known senior-living referral services in the U.S., and it is free for families. Like most services of its kind, it is paid by the senior living communities in its network when a family it referred moves in. The Washington Post reported in May 2024 that the company’s fee is roughly a month’s fees for a successful placement. That model is common across the industry and is not illegal. It does mean the list you get is shaped by which communities have agreed to pay.
What the Washington Post reported (May 2024)
The Post looked up state inspection and violation records for 863 communities in 28 states that had received A Place for Mom’s “Best of Senior Living” award in 2023 or 2024. It reported that more than a third had been cited for problems affecting resident care, such as neglect or substandard care, in the previous two years, some of them repeatedly. The Post also reported concerns from former employees and industry professionals about how reviews were requested. In response, the company said it was proud to be a resource for family caregivers and that it encourages families to do their own research.
The Senate inquiry (June 2024)
In June 2024, Sen. Bob Casey, then chair of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, wrote to A Place for Mom’s chief executive. As reported by NBC News and trade press, the letter asked for three years of revenue data, information on the facilities it refers families to most, and how it vets communities. It questioned whether the company’s recommendations were objective, noted that paying communities are only part of the market, and raised concerns about families who plan to use Medicaid. A letter like this asks questions; it is not a finding that the company broke any law.
The 2019 phone-call settlement
In 2019, A Place for Mom agreed to pay $6 million to settle a class action under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, according to McKnight’s Senior Living and other reports. The lawsuit alleged that people who filled in the company’s web forms received calls to their cell phones made with an automated dialing system without the written consent the law requires. The company denied wrongdoing, settled to end the case, and agreed to changes meant to make sure it has consent before calling.
What this means for your search
None of this means you should never use a referral service. Many advisors know their local market well and genuinely help. It does mean you should know three things before you share your details: the list may include only communities that pay the service; your phone number may go to several communities; and a high rating or award on a referral site may not reflect what state inspectors found.
Alternatives worth knowing
You can search without a middleman. The federal Eldercare Locator (1-800-677-1116) connects you with your local Area Agency on Aging, which gives free, non-commercial help. Medicare Care Compare shows ratings, inspections, staffing and fines for nursing homes. Your state’s licensing agency publishes assisted living records, and the long-term care ombudsman can speak to complaints. Aging life care professionals (geriatric care managers) charge families directly by the hour instead of taking commissions. On Nana’s List, facilities pay nothing today, we take no referral fees, your tour request goes only to the community you pick, and Nana’s grade ignores payment.