The senior living communities that can prove resident safety.
Safest Places to Live™ is a national designation recognizing senior living communities that meet the most rigorous resident security standard in the industry. If your loved one lives in a designated community, here is what that means for their safety, and for your peace of mind.
Safety is the foundation of every senior living decision.
Families making senior living decisions are searching for more than amenities and price points. They are searching for peace of mind: the certainty that their loved one is in a place that takes security seriously, proactively, and provably.
The Safest Places to Live™ designation exists to answer that question before families have to ask it. Unlike self-reported ratings or pay-to-play directories, it is earned through demonstrated, technology-verified compliance with the 8-Point Standard of Resident Security, administered by Accushield.
What the designation tells families
- Controlled access. Every visitor and vendor registers before entering.
- Real-time awareness. Staff know who is in the building at any moment.
- Family transparency. Families can be notified of visitor activity.
- Ongoing accountability. Compliance is reevaluated annually.
The 8-Point Standard of Resident Security.
Each recognized community has demonstrated active compliance with every applicable point. This is what separates a Safest Place to Live™ from a community that simply meets minimum regulatory requirements.
Controlled & Accountable Access
A digital visitor management system requires all non-staff individuals to register before entering the community.
Visible Identification
All registered visitors and vendors are issued a printed badge so staff can immediately recognize authorized individuals.
Verified Identity & Secure Documentation
A photo is captured for every person entering the community and stored securely in the cloud.
Real-Time Situational Awareness
Staff have access to real-time visitor data and can instantly identify who is in the building at any moment.
Resident & Family Transparency
Families can be notified of visitor activity, giving them confidence and peace of mind about their loved one's environment.
Data Privacy & Information Protection
Visitor and caregiver data is securely stored and managed in compliance with applicable privacy standards.
Mass Emergency Communication & Accountability
Staff can instantly communicate with all people on site and account for every individual during an emergency.
Credentialed & Trusted Care Environment
Outside care provider and vendor credentials are actively verified before access to residents is granted.
Standard designation communities meet Points 1 through 7. VERIFIED tier communities meet all eight.
Earned by the communities that do the work.
The designation is organized into two tiers. VERIFIED tier communities go one step further by actively credentialing every outside care provider and vendor.
Standard Designation
Recognizes communities that meet the seven standard points of resident security, from controlled access and visible identification to mass emergency communication.
Safest Places to Live™
The most comprehensive resident security standard in senior living, reserved for communities that actively verify outside care provider and vendor credentials.
Finding a community that prioritizes safety as a core value has given my family confidence we made the right choice.
Display your designation with pride.
Your organization is authorized to display the official badge on your website. If you are part of a larger organization, share the embed code with your corporate or marketing team to get it added.
For communities that meet the seven standard points of resident security.
Get the Embed Code
For communities that actively credential outside care providers and vendors.
Get the Embed CodeSuggested placement: Your community's homepage, About Us page, Safety or Security page, tour booking page, and site footer. Anywhere families are making decisions about care.
Put the recognition to work in your building.
Each recognized community receives a physical packet with materials designed to be displayed and distributed on site.
Door Cling
A two-sided window badge for your main entrance or lobby glass. It is the first signal families see, so display it at eye level.
Program Slick
A one-page explanation of the program for local teams to share with prospective and current residents during tours and events.
Family Letter
A pre-written letter for each community's director to send to residents' families announcing the designation and what it means.
Point 8 starts with credential verification.
The VERIFIED tier is reserved for communities that actively verify the credentials of outside care providers and vendors before they are granted access to residents. It is the one point that separates the most comprehensive resident security programs in senior living from the rest.
Accushield's credential verification puts that standard into daily practice, confirming third-party caregivers and vendors at the door so your team does not have to chase paperwork.
Answers for families and recognized communities.
What exactly is the Safest Places to Live™ designation?
Safest Places to Live™ is a national designation awarded to senior living communities that demonstrate a proactive, comprehensive commitment to resident safety. Standard recipients meet the first seven points of the 8-Point Standard of Resident Security; VERIFIED tier recipients meet all eight. It is administered by Accushield, the leading visitor management and credential verification technology provider for senior living.
What is the difference between the Standard and VERIFIED tiers?
The Standard designation recognizes communities that meet the first seven points of the 8-Point Standard, including controlled access, visible identification, verified identity, real-time situational awareness, family transparency, data privacy, and mass emergency communication. The VERIFIED tier adds Point 8, Credentialed & Trusted Care Environment, which means the community actively verifies and credentials outside care providers and vendors before they are granted access to residents.
Can we use the badge on our website and marketing materials?
Yes. Your organization is authorized to display the official badge on your website, printed materials, and digital advertising. If you are part of a larger organization, share the Website Badge Guide with your corporate web team. Independent operators can follow the guide to add it directly. The badge must link to accushield.com/recognition/safest-places-to-live/ when used digitally.
How should we refer to this designation in press releases and communications?
Always use the full trademarked name, Safest Places to Live™, on first reference. Refer to it as a "designation" or "recognition," not an "award." When talking with families, focus on your organization's proactive commitment to resident safety and emphasize that the designation is based on verified, technology-backed compliance, not self-reporting.
What should we tell families who ask about this designation?
Families are most interested in what the designation means for their loved one's day-to-day safety. Focus on the practical: every visitor is digitally registered, staff have real-time awareness of who is in the building, and your communities go well beyond regulatory minimums. The key message is simple. Your organization made a deliberate, technology-backed investment in resident security, and this designation is the proof.
How do recognized communities promote the designation?
Recognized communities may request a full suite of promotional resources. Digitally, they can display the official badge on their website, link it to the designation page, and reference it in online advertising and social media. On site, each community receives a physical packet that includes a door cling for the main entrance, a program slick for tours and events, and a pre-written family letter from the director. Corporate teams can also incorporate the designation into portfolio-wide marketing and sales materials to reinforce a consistent safety message across all locations.
How long is the designation valid?
The Safest Places to Live™ designation is issued on an annual basis. Recognized communities are expected to maintain active compliance with the 8-Point Standard of Resident Security each year to retain their badge and listing in the official directory.
Who do we contact if we have questions not answered here?
For questions about the program, badge usage, or getting started, contact the Accushield team at accushield.com/contact or visit SafePlacesToLive.com.
Is your community on the list?
Explore the full 2026 Safest Places to Live™ directory and see which senior living operators earned the designation this year.