Grandma’s on Facebook?
I received a message the other day, “Agnes Keller has added you as a friend on Facebook.” Not so surprising, right? I get messages like this every day. Except that Agnes is my 96-year-old grandma.
Some research into this strange phenomenon revealed that my cousin had set up Grandma’s account and she’s really not comfortable using it yet. But Grandma joining Facebook has spawned a virtual family reunion the likes of which the Kellers have never seen. My parents, aunts and uncles, and second cousins – all 65+ – from coast to coast are sharing photos, joining groups, connecting and communicating, and having great fun doing it.
And it’s not just my family. More and more people 50+ are joining Facebook every day. In fact, people are now spending more time on social networking sites than email.
What does this mean for those of us in the field of senior living? The possibilities are endless, but the gist is we have exciting new opportunities to reach seniors and their adult children. By embracing and adapting to changing technology and media usage, we can be leaders in this exciting new age of digital marketing.
I think you’re absolutely right, Kris. Digital media opportunities galore are available as a way to not just communicate with seniors and their families, but to offer them the opportunity to join a conversation. After all, it how can we call it interactive if only one side is doing all the talking?