What about the “F” word?
Yup. We’ve all seen it in the headlines. Anchors on television news have used it, and sometimes it slips out of our own mouths. “Facility.”
In the world of senior living, it brings a cringe to marketers. The word (and I won’t use it again) conjures up images of institutions and old-time state hospitals.
So how do you handle it if someone uses the word? Leave it alone? Use it as a “teachable moment” on how senior living is about communities, not f——, well you know.
Or are you okay with using it? After all, you do “facilitate” services and amenities for older adults at your, ah hem, community.
This post should generate some good comments…get in on the conversation. Share your stories about the “f” word.
At Immanuel Communities we never use the “f” word. We have banned the facility word from our vocabulary. In fact, I personally fine our staff a dollar if I hear them use the “f” word. We have developed a glossary of terms and it is one of the first items we review with new staff and that is where I have the opportunity to share with them the ban on the “f” word. I also take every opportunity to educate our vendors and our prospective residents about the secure and worry-free lifestyle of an Immanuel community and the reasoning behind not calling a community a facility! We have fun with this topic and it is very effective in educating individuals about senior housing.
Roxann, hopefully your “fine” piggy bank is empty!
We also ban the “unit” word and every time a staff member says “facility” or “unit” I just talk over them with “community” and “apartment” or “home”. It gets really annoying, but I make my point.
I’m always surprised when I hear a marketer refer to their location as a “facility”, as I try to use “community” or “home”. But it continues to happen, definitely more on the nursing care side of things.
Right on! We don’t like the “F____” word nor do we like the “R_____” word…. residents don’t live in ROOMS…(conjuring up the visual of Mom shaking her finger at you and saying ‘go to your room’”
Our residents live in apartments! Independent forever, regardless of the help we provide.
When someone uses the “F” word with me- like an outside vendor or even a client, it shows me that they don’t “know” about senior housing and if they really cared about seniors- they would not call it that.
Here at Pacific Retirement Services, we don’t use the ‘f’ word in marketing materials – we call them “communities,” which of course they are in all senses of the word. We also don’t use ‘unit’ instead call them ‘apartments’ or ‘apartment homes.’
Get this though, we have a new community in Portland (Mirabella Portland) and we are required by the state licensure to include the following disclosure on any advertising that relates to skilled nursing/memory care:
*At Mirabella Portland, Memory Care services will be provided in a Skilled Nursing Facility unit with a Class II endorsement for dementia.
Ugh. We put it on the back at the bottom in very tiny font size.
Ellen– gotta love those state mandates. NOT!
When someone uses the “F” word, we look at them quizically and say, “WTF are you talking about?” [not really, but I couldn't resist!] Great conversation starter, Randy
We’re in alignment with what everyone else has said, adding only that we also use “residence” as an acceptable descriptor.
AAHSA published an article in its magazine several years ago titled “Speaking a Universal Language”. It included a table with a couple dozen “dirty words” and the alternative “universal words”. Search for the article title on AAHSA’s Web site, http://www.aahsa.org
Bruce–that’s a great link to share with everyone. I’m sure everyone wishes the media would take the “dirty words” into account!
Just words? Not hardly. Our names for things reveal mindsets and prejudices. A phrase we are working hard at Willow Brook to eliminate from our speech is “you guys,” especially when used in reference to those we are serving. Some residents find this flippant and offensive.
Great discussion, Randy. Thanks for “facilitating.”
Awesome post. It’s amazing how one word could have such a negative connotation to it. I’m absolutely going to stop using that. I think people have such a difficult time with trying to be “PC” that they forget about real emotions and also just the reality of diversity.
This really is a great post to get conversations going. I certainly agree with avoiding such loaded words. It’s also important, however, to make sure that reality matches our vocabulary.
In the book Mavericks at Work by William Taylor and Polly LaBarre, it talks about some of the great businesses that have their own corporate vocabulary, and the profound difference that it makes. It also sites the example of Subway as doing this poorly.
At Subway, employees are called “Sandwich Artists.” OK, that has a nice ring to it, but it’s really not the case. There is nothing artistic about they way they put together your sandwich. I’ve seen it done a hundred times in a dozen different states, and it’s always done the same way. (I highly suggest reading the book for a more detailed illustration of all this.)
If we want our corporate vocabulary to be “community” instead of “facility,” then it’s important that we really are a community (and not a facility that just calls itself a community.)
What is a community? What connotations does the word bring to your mind? How does your community fit that definition or connotations?
Rather than scolding employees or reporters who use the wrong vocabulary, help them see what you see. That way, you won’t just change their word choice, you’ll change their minds.
I absolutely agree and do avoid using the words”facility” and “unit”. In fact, since boomers will most likely never retire – I am searching for a good substitution for “retirement” community.