Elder placement agencies cash in

Michael Berens, of The Seattle Times, uncovered the hidden cost of elder placement agencies that promise to match seniors to long-term care facilities - for free. Elder placement is a national multi-million
dollar industry with no rules and zero oversight. Seniors are steered
only to facilities that agree to pay hefty commissions. Most placement
companies fail to screen for past violations. The Times tracked 143
cases in which seniors were victimized after companies placed them in
adult family homes, or other long-term care facilities, that had a
record of substandard care, including fatal neglect. This story is part
of an on-going series, Seniors for Sale, that previously found some
adult homes marketed the frail and vulnerable as commodities.