At a recent senior housing symposium we were reminded that a great number of continuing-care prospects, who are both age and income qualified, know very little about CCRCs.  This was brought home listening to a panel of residents from an active adult community.  When asked if the presence of assisted living services within the community would negatively impact their desire to live there, they emphatically said ‘no’ and went on to share that this could be marketed as a benefit because they wouldn’t need to leave the community if they would need a higher level of care. They were describing a continuum of care as if this was a new revelation to them. 

Is this lack of knowledge the result of the typical consumer behavior of not paying attention to communication until a product or service is needed?  Is it based in a belief that they know what is available because they remember the retirement communities of their parent’s generation? Is it the product of misinformation being communicated by word of mouth with each link in the communication chain adding a little bit of truth, but also a bit of myth?

Most likely it is a product of all these forces working in concert. It is probably safe to say that 50 percent of our audience could get about 50 percent of the facts right.  In this lies the challenge, the challenge for those of us responsible for senior living communication to educate the consumer.  There are so many benefits offered by a senior living community.  And with so many innovative trends taking hold, the future offers even greater benefits to future residents. But can the education of the millions of potential consumers be accomplished by each senior living community and organization only focusing on its own communications program?

Is there a place for collective communication?  Can the field of senior living benefit from a broader national communications program with the objective of positioning senior living communities as places for vital, engaged adults with much to offer?  That today’s senior living communities serve the greater community good by helping residents stay healthier longer thus minimizing the pressure on public services.

In light of the baby-boomer bubble coming of senior living age within ten years, is this the time to consider the upside for all senior living communities by coordinating the education of the public on the many benefits of senior living communities?

At a seminar about aging successfully recently in the Chicago area, a very upbeat and spry gentleman walked up to the registration table and declared, “I’m 85 years old and am just too busy to slow down.” He was serious! Today’s older adults are very active and are not just sitting back and letting time slip by.

For more than 21 years, GlynnDevins has played a unique role in the world of marketing and advertising. Our focus is within the field of senior living. Our team of 114 associates helps older adults find a senior living community that is right for them. So how do we do this? Very simply, we conduct research, develop strategies and put plans into play that entice adults to start thinking about living a lifestyle that takes away the burdens of home maintenance and provides a plan for potential future health care needs.

As GlynnDevins markets senior living communities to older adults, we have to keep individuals like the busy 85-year-old in mind. While bricks and mortar make an impression about the exterior appearance of a senior living community, it really is more about what is inside the community that ultimately gets the attention of older adults. Our research shows that they want to live in a community where they can initiate and participate in activities, where they can make new friends, and where they can come and go as they please.

We are rewarded every day when we hear our clients tell us about the new residents moving to their communities. There’s something very gratifying about knowing that we’ve helped in the process along the way.

GlynnDevins Insights is a blog where our associates will share what we know, what we experience and what we learn about marketing to older adults. We hope you’ll come back often and join in a conversation about this very dynamic and evolving niche in the world of marketing.