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Like most people, I love a feel-good story. So when I saw that LeadingAge is helping inspire residents and staff of senior living communities by encouraging them to host a screening of                         Age of Champions, a new documentary about a group of athletes            “chasing gold at the National Senior Games,” I wanted to pass it on.

I’m encouraged by what producer Keith Ochwat says about the film,    “No matter the age or physical ability, all seniors can take small steps to becoming healthier and more active.”

You’ll want to watch the trailer and learn more about how to host a screening. It certainly inspired me.

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We’re arming you with 10 powerful, surprising, startling and interesting statistics in the field of senior living. We hope you can use them to inform those around you and make the case for why community living may be the best option.

1. Many ignore the reality of long-term care.
You may have heard the statistic that nearly 7 out of 10 Americans over age 65 will need long-term care, but did you know in a study by Genworth Financial, more than half of all respondents (55%) reported that their greatest fear regarding a long-term care illness or event was being a burden on their family. In fact, they reported being five times more concerned about being a burden than dying.

However, more than 90% surveyed have not talked about critical long-term care issues with their spouse/partner, aging parents or adult children. Perhaps this is why AARP recently launched its Decide.Create.Share.^sm  program to provide planning education and tools.

2. BINGO and sewing are not favorite activities among seniors.
At Exploritas, formerly known as Elderhostel, the proportion of travel adventurers over age 85 has increased more than 70 percent since 2004. In another study, seniors reported their common activities were reading (71%) and pursuing religious activities (53%). Other popular activities included bicycling, gardening, talking on the telephone and watching television. Even tennis, swimming, golf and exercise classes were more frequent forms of recreation than bingo or sewing.

3. Socialization is still a key to healthy aging.
Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) researchers found evidence that elderly people in the U.S. who have an active social life may have a slower rate of memory decline. In fact, memory decline among the most sociable was less than half the rate among the least sociable.  Senior author         Lisa Berkman, chair of the Department of Society, Human Development and Health, went on to say, “We know from previous studies that people with many social ties have lower mortality rates. We now have mounting evidence that strong social networks can help to prevent declines in memory. As our society ages and has more and more older people, it will be important to promote their engagement in social and community life to maintain their well-being.”

4. Many families are affected financially and emotionally by long-term care.
The cost of long-term care extends beyond the senior. In one study, 83% of primary caregivers contributed financially during a long-term care situation – an average $8,800 for out-of-pocket care expenses. In the same study, 44% of primary caregivers experienced increased stress with their spouse during a long-term care situation.

5. Occupancy trends are looking up.
According to the National Investment Center for the Seniors Housing and Care Industry, the average occupancy rate for senior housing properties was 88.1% during the third quarter of 2011, up 0.2% from the previous quarter, showing occupancy rates continuing to recover. In fact, the senior housing average occupancy rate has risen in six consecutive quarters.

6. Staying active is important.
A study at Hebrew University Medical Center and Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School  reported that seniors who do any amount of exercise appear to live longer and have a lower risk of disability. In addition, the benefits associated with physical activity were seen not only in individuals who maintained an existing level of physical activity, but also in those who began exercising between ages 70 and 85.

7. “I wish I’d done this sooner” is still a popular phrase.
According to the 2009 Independent Living Report by the ProMatura Group, LLC, research shows that when you become part of an independent living retirement community, you’re more likely to make new friends and try new things — most report a better experience than they expected.

8. If you’re over 70, owning your house may not make as much sense as it once did.
As a long-time homeowner, maintenance costs are sure to be a future necessity. We’ve researched several websites and found the following cost estimates for maintaining your home, which may vary depending on what area you live in. According to CostHelper.com, it costs approximately $10,000 to replace your furnace and central air conditioner system. Lawn care for 10 years is approximately $25,000, according to The-Lawn-Advisor.com. Depending on size, shape and quality, CostVsValue.com says replacement windows for an average home is $11,000, and the average roof replacement using composite shingles costs roughly $20,000.

9. Not everyone dreams of retiring.  
In fact, some people are rejecting retirement all together and continuing to work into their 90s.  According to the U.S. Department of Labor statistics, there are 1.2 million people 75 and older who work full- or part-time. By 2019, more than 40 percent of Americans 55-plus will be working, making up over 25% of the U.S. labor force.

10. How does your community compare?
Washington, D.C. tops the national average cost for assisted living at over $5,700 per month. To see where your community stacks up in assisted living, nursing, adult day service or home care, check out this great resource by MetLife.

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During my almost 11 years with GlynnDevins, I’ve attended many marketing events, of all shapes and sizes. Holiday fun, interesting or educational speakers, care focus, luncheons and more. Marketing events are a unique way to allow your prospects to experience life at your community firsthand, so here are my top 10 tips to make the most of them: 

1.  Promote it.
Set a goal for how many people you’d like in attendance, and then decide how you’ll spread the word. Depending on the situation and goal, you may want to promote your event through a combination of the following: invitation, evite, personal phone call, media advertising, social media, public relations and announcement on your website. 

2.  Have a back-up plan.
If attendance is larger than expected (a great problem to have, right?!), have a back-up plan for adding additional dates/times. If your attendance is lower than expected, you may want to choose a different, more intimate location. 

3.  Ask for RSVPs.
Even for an open house, it’s okay to ask for RSVPs. This allows your team to plan for the right location, staff, food, etc. If someone doesn’t show up, it’s an opportunity to follow up and invite them to your next event, or suggest that they schedule a personal appointment. 

4.  Involve residents.
Residents or their families can give tours, speak to their experiences and help you forge relationships. When appropriate, turn your event into a referral opportunity. 

5.  Plan for parking.
Parking is one of the most important components of a successful event. If attendees have to walk a long way, they may have a negative impression before they even walk in the door. Valet parking shows your level of hospitality and understanding of any mobility challenges. 

6.  Remember to register.
Be sure to capture names, addresses, phone numbers and e-mail addresses. You can greet attendees with a simple sign-in sheet, or use it as an opportunity to allow them to put their name in a prize drawing. 

7.  Be hospitable.
Make every effort to make attendees feel at home. Consider simple gestures such as taking coats and making sure attendees know where the restrooms are. 

8.  Plan for tours.
Depending on the size of your event, you may need a tour committee or sign-up sheet to manage the process. Determine how you’ll handle tours, and then make the process clear to your visitors.

9.  Give them something.
A door prize or simple giveaway always brings excitement to your event, and makes your visitors feel extra-special. They’ll tell their friends and family about it. 

10.  Follow up.
Your event is the first step to a personal appointment. Every attendee should receive a personalized letter, note, e-mail or phone call to initiate that next step.

This is the first of a series of consecutive lists of 10 that we’ll be providing to you throughout December. Our goal is to offer insights, helpful tips, strategies, suggestions and new ideas to help you be successful with your community’s marketing efforts in 2012. Stay tuned for more.

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You may have noticed we’ve been talking a lot about innovation (Looking for Your Next Breakthrough Idea, Innovation Starts with Experimentation, and 5 Ideas: How To Be More Innovative) at GlynnDevins. In fact, it’s one of our goals for 2011.

With this in mind, I’m reading a book called Think Better by Tim Hurson. The premise of the book is that productive thinking can be a cultivated process. The author tells a story that illustrates the kind of innovative thinking that changes lives.

In the 1960s, Ralf Hotchkiss was in a tragic motorcycle accident that left him without the use of the lower half of his body. With his new wheelchair, he thought he’d be unable to return to college at Oberlin. So he applied at some larger universities, only to be rejected because they couldn’t accommodate his wheelchair. In frustration, Ralf called his former Oberlin dean, George Langler, to see if there might be something they could do. George listened to Ralf’s plea and responded “Gee, Ralf, I don’t see why not. We move pianos in and out of buildings all the time.” He went to work with the operations crew to modify their portable ramps to accommodate wheelchairs. Ralf returned to school that fall, and Oberlin became the first institution in the United States to have an official policy of accommodating people with mobility challenges. Ralf went on to found Whirlwind, a company that designs and manufactures one of the most popular wheelchairs in the world.

The point that the book makes is that George Langler was able to see the unexpected connection between moving pianos and wheelchairs. He wasn’t held up by the “that’s the way we’ve always done it” mentality that Ralf met at some of the other colleges. The book goes on to give other great examples of success through innovation – people like Bill Bowerman, who made a connection between a tennis shoe sole and the waffle iron, and launched Nike. It’s probably the same type of thinking that modeled life care and continuing care, right?

So here’s a challenge to you that I’ll share from the book. Try filling in this blank: “Wouldn’t it be great if….?” We’d love to hear what you come up with or what you’re doing at your organizations to promote innovation. With all the recent emphasis on innovative thinking, I’m more convinced than ever there is a limitless supply of “Aha!” moments.

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When I was in elementary school, I went to “Gym” class, presumably because that’s where it was located. Later, the class changed to PE (Physical Education), a better description of what took place in the gym. Now that my daughters are in elementary school, they take Motor Skills – a name that finally fits the benefit.

Isn’t the evolution of senior housing somewhat the same? My grandparents were elderly people who lived in a nursing home. Today, they might be older adults who receive personal services in a skilled care neighborhood.

The fact is, to change the perception of senior living, we must not only evolve the environment, services and programs. We should also choose words that best describe the benefit to the individual. Here are some suggestions from LeadingAge, formerly American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging. We applaud their name change and commitment to the future of senior living.

Certainly, this is not a new topic at GlynnDevins, but a client of mine recently reminded me this is a topic that’s worth repeating. Thank you, Beth, for the reminder and here is another post that is worth a read or re-read, What about the “F” word?.

If you’re doing anything in particular to change perceptions and focus on the benefits of senior living through the words you use, please tell us about it.

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