Digital payments in senior living
We tap our digital wallet at the grocery store, manage subscriptions with a single click, and split dinner bills from our phones. Residents and families entering senior living expect that same digital payment experience.
For senior living communities, the move toward digital solutions that support resident-centric payment experiences is a core part of the care environment. The once manual task of printing and mailing statements led to the risk of errors, delayed payments, and overworked staff. Digital payments are changing that.
Across healthcare, the appetite for digital payment options is rising fast. 62% of consumers prefer paying medical bills online, and eStatement usage has surged 243% from 2016 to 2024. These expectations follow every senior resident and family member into their community of choice.
With a digital payment solution, billing becomes less manual and less time consuming, payments can be made faster, family members living far from the resident can pay easily online, and so much more.
In this blog, we explore why designing payment systems around the resident can improve operations and help deliver better care.
Payment preferences for a new generation of seniors
Today’s seniors look nothing like the stereotype of our grandparents fumbling with early smartphones. Many seniors entering communities now were born in the late 70s. They saw the beginning of the internet and have been using digital tools for decades. In some cases, they use them more confidently than younger generations.
Today’s seniors:
- Use smartphones daily
- Manage digital wallets
- Trust credit cards
- Prefer automated, set-and-forget experiences
- Expect simplicity that mirrors online shopping and streaming
The adult children of these seniors, particularly Gen X and Millennials, are also fully fluent in mobile payments, subscription billing, text alerts, and instant account access.
5 tips for resident-centric payments
Families juggle multiple responsibilities, residents want independence, adult children want peace of mind, and communities want clarity and operational efficiency.
A true resident-centric payment experience brings all of that together. Here are five ways to make it happen:
- Make simplicity feel familiar
Many families split monthly fees among multiple payors. It’s common for the resident to pay 50% and for the family to split the other 50%. Some payors are even responsible for the billing of multiple residents.
A modern digital solution should support that without friction. It should feel as easy as managing any other recurring subscription. You enter your information, choose how you want to pay, and everything else happens automatically.
The ability to share payment responsibilities, send electronic statements, and authorize payments via credit card or ACH should all happen in one easy portal.
“Payment Portal] saves us a great deal of time and gives residents and families more power over their accounts. There are so many great features and more coming all the time.”
Nicole Warndahl, AR Manager, Cassia Senior Community Services
- Be flexible for payment preference
A resident-centric model recognizes that senior residents and families need:
- Choice of payment method
- Split billing
- Autopay
- Credit card options
- ACH and bank draft options
- Mobile-first experiences
Credit card benefits matter, too. Families often earn miles, cash back, and rewards when paying by card—value they lose with checks or cash.
- Keep digital tools intuitive
A straightforward interface lowers stress. It should be easy to:
- Log in
- View balances
- Access electronic billing statements
- Pay in seconds
- Set up autopay
- Manage disputes
When families feel in control, their confidence increases.
- Offer real-time support
No one wants to make a phone call to understand a line item on a bill. Resident-centric systems help with:
- In-portal messaging
- Real-time support tools
- Clear FAQs
- Email confirmations
- Accessible past statements
The easier it is to get clarity, the stronger the trust.
- Give users financial empowerment
Emerging models like “buy now, pay later” are catching attention across industries. And they offer real potential in senior living, especially when families face unexpected expenses.
Families can opt for installments, which can relieve financial pressure while maintaining a positive patient experience.
Transparent billing can build trust
Billing is often one of the most sensitive touchpoints in senior living. It affects families deeply, especially during transitions or care changes.
That’s why clear, accurate, accessible electronic billing is essential.
- Families understand exactly what they’re paying for
- Confusion is minimized
- Stress goes down
- Call volume decreases
- Staff spend less time on manual questions
- Residents feel informed and respected
Beyond residents and their families, digital payment solutions also benefit the back office. Staff can invest time on other important tasks, reconciliation is easier, and faster collection means fewer missed payments.
MatrixCare is leading this shift
This is a defining moment for senior living. Communities adopting intuitive, supportive, flexible payment solutions are meeting residents where they already are and preparing for where they’re going. The future of payment is digital and personal.
As these expectations shift, senior living communities need digital partners who understand how payments are evolving. Residents and families are ready for tools that feel seamless, flexible, and modern. From electronic billing to easy split payments, communities increasingly rely on payment portals that deliver convenience and even offer pay later options:
“We see a future where senior living facilities, both high-acuity (like SNFs) and low-acuity (like AL and IL), focus more on what they do best: providing care. Not only for residents, patients and family members, but also for the healthcare team, who also need to be taken care of.
The role of the Payment Portal is to make billing and payments as transparent and easy as possible. For example, if a customer wants to receive paper statements, we will help provide it. If they want to pay their bill in installments, like a BNPL (buy now, pay later) model, we will work toward it. It’s a one-stop-shop, full-service strategy.
This type of flexibility (BNPL) will be especially important for short SNF stays that might not be 100% covered by insurance. By using smart financial products and embedded finance, we can make it possible for families to pay the bill in installments while allowing the facility to receive 100% of the payment upfront, avoiding cash flow surprises.
That’s how we see the future of Payment Portal, where smart financial products help both families and care providers at the same time.”
Heitor Barcellos, MatrixCare
MatrixCare has the tools that support this transition. Our goal is to create digital payment experiences that work for every senior resident and every family, whether they’re navigating independent living or skilled nursing care.
Request a demo today for a closer look at MatrixCare.
Mrinal Sinha
Mrinal Sinha is a seasoned product leader with over seven years of experience in the SaaS and fintech sectors, specializing in financial solutions across lending, digital banking, and payments. He has contributed to top banks and fintech startups in India, driving innovation and user-centric design. Currently, Mrinal leads the payments vertical at MatrixCare, where he leverages his deep industry expertise to deliver world-class payment solutions tailored for both back-office operations and resident experiences.
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