Senior Living Best Practices with Liz Pearce

Finding the right senior living community can feel overwhelming, especially for families already balancing caregiving, careers, and children. In this episode of The Sandwich Generation Survival Guide, Candace Dellacona sits down with LizPearce of U.S. News & World Report to discuss how families can make more informed decisions about senior care.Liz explains the differences between independent living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing, and shares how the trusted U.S. News & World Report ratings use government data and resident and family feedback to help families evaluate quality, safety, and overall resident experience. Together, they explore the growing challenges facing caregivers and offer practical guidance for navigating senior care with greater confidence.(00:00) - Podcast Intro (00:19) - Welcome and Guest Introduction (01:23) - Ratings Origins and Trends (03:11) - Why Lived Experience Matters (07:34) - Feels Like Home Factors (09:14) - Loneliness Versus Independence (13:33) - Avoiding Common Mistakes (16:40) - Solo Agers Planning Ahead (21:46) - Home Care Versus Community (26:58) - Cost Value and Transparency (29:17) - Future of Senior Living (31:12) - Wrap Up and Resources (32:16) - Subscribe and Follow To learn more about U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 Best Senior Living Ratings, visit https://health.usnews.com/best-senior-living.