One of the most important and influential women in my life recently passed away – at 97 years young, my grandmother lived a full and fulfilled life. The end was not what we had hoped it would be for her or for ourselves, as she spent her last five years in a small-town nursing home confined primarily to a wheelchair. That being said, and although it was not always perfect by our high standards, we know she was loved and truly cared for by those who worked there – and consistently known for her selfless ways, she was always asking us what she could do to help those who took care of her.
Recently, my family hosted a luncheon at the nursing home to say our gracious thank yous for taking such great care of this special lady. It was our small way to pay respect to those who care for this important generation in an often less than gratifying profession – they come from all walks of life and have varying backgrounds, interests, education levels, etc., but they all have one thing in common: their dedication to serve.
My sincerest thanks to those at Guest Home Estates and to those across the country who dedicate their time and talents, often for little pay and little recognition. We don’t say it enough, but I know it meant the world to my family to know she was being cared for by those who treated her as they would their own.
As several of the communities I work closely with prepare to open this fall, this is a common question we’re beginning to talk about with our clients – it’s also a relevant question if you’ve recently completed an expansion or a redevelopment; added additional phases of inventory; opened your health care center, a new restaurant or fitness center; or remodeled any significant common or “town center” spaces.
Grand openings can and are certainly handled in a variety of ways, but the approach I’m most familiar with for this important milestone is a “week” of festivities focused around varying target audiences. For example, it might kick off with a resident dinner to thank them for their participation throughout the coming week and for generously opening their homes to potential residents. Then we might follow that up the next day with an official ribbon cutting to thank all who have been a part of the community’s development, including key dignitaries and local community leaders.
The rest of the week might include a health services-focused speaker event ─ a good way to target those hard-to-reach local professional influencers and adult child influencers. You could host an open house or parade of homes for leads and age- and income-qualified prospects. It could also be much less than this, with a singular event opening your doors to the community and showcasing all you have to offer.
The key here is timing – when are you best equipped as a newly opened community – when do you look your best, especially in your common spaces, when are you functioning on all cylinders, when is your service (especially dining) impeccable and worth touting, and when will Mother Nature give you the best chance for attendance? In many of the situations I’ve been involved with, this could be six months or longer following a community’s first move-in.
In the end, a grand opening can be as grand as you want or need it to be. However, since it’s a large investment of time and resources, center your decisions around putting on the best show possible because you only get to open your community once!
When developing strategy for health services campaigns, one question almost always emerges: Do we or don’t we photograph residents? Here is some insight into what we consider when addressing this common, yet important, question.
We certainly know that good stock photography available in this arena is rather limited and overused. That being said, sometimes because of a variety of reasons, using stock photography may be our only option.
Health services can be a difficult area to photograph in terms of making areas photo-friendly and giving the images some zest and personality. In an ideal situation, we suggest using a mix of both stock photography and real photography from the community. The actual community photography is important to help accurately portray the key selling features of the community (e.g., rehab room, model apartment, country kitchen, etc.). This can be well executed through staged architectural shots. Where it can get tricky is in terms of the lifestyle aspect – to photograph or not photograph residents. We have used actual health services residents before, but this does require a stringent photo release process, involving not only the actual resident but family members as well. Other options include unique photo angles where a staff member is the featured participant, yet a resident is shot from behind or over their shoulder so they’re unrecognizable. There are also times when models or agreeable independent living residents can be used to portray sensitive shots.
As part of the full continuum of care, health services is an important area for communities to represent, and visuals are vital for those making this important decision. However health services photography is handled, always make sure it’s done in a way that’s respectful and dignified to the situation, those portrayed, and those who call the community home.
We would love to hear about your approaches to capturing this sensitive subject.
Over my years of working with seniors at various senior living communities across the country, I’ve heard many compare their lifestyle to being on a cruise ship. Well, I recently had the pleasure of putting that statement to the test as I left the Port of Miami on a five-day Caribbean cruise. I had been on a cruise once before and to be honest, it was less than enjoyable for me, so I was quite skeptical as I boarded this go-around – but let me tell you, the similarities to my first encounter stopped the minute I stepped foot onto the boat. From first-class service to delectable dining options to a vast array of activities to suit every interest, I knew quickly enough why the comparison is made – and I now have to wholeheartedly agree.
For me, the beauty of the cruise wasn’t the various ports of call to lush tropical destinations – the beauty of the cruise was the little things. The special turn-down service, the cold water and towels available as we boarded the ship after a long day of shopping or excursions, the staff always going the extra mile to fulfill even your simplest request, the opportunities to make the cruise truly personalized to your tastes, the social interaction and fellowship from people from all over the world, the many convenient amenities never more than a short walk away – the list could go on and on.
As I read back over what I just described, I see vast similarities to those senior living communities we serve and how we describe them to prospective residents. Imagine that it took me five days and two ports of call to gain a deeper appreciation for what our clients offer each and every day. Well worth the trip, I would say.
I recently had the pleasure of reading 212◦ The Extra Degree by Sam Parker and Mac Anderson. Their inspiring and uplifting concept is built around the premise that just one solitary degree separates water from simply being hot to generating enough steam to power a train.
Take a minute to think about this. One degree could be what it takes for your community to separate from the competition. One degree could be what it takes for your individual performance to go from status quo to superstar. One degree could be what it takes to go from ordinary to extraordinary.
Think what would happen if everyone in your organization took their performance up one degree – making an extra effort in every task, action and endeavor they undertake. It could be as simple as:
- Remembering a prospect’s birthday or anniversary and acknowledging it.
- Going out of your way to check in with a resident who just moved in to ensure they’re settled and happy.
- Remembering certain treats a resident’s grandchildren like and having them on hand when they visit next.
- Making five extra prospecting calls a day.
- Calling or e-mailing photos to an adult child to let them know what their parent did that day.
It’s human nature to remember those small things, and those small things make you and your organization truly stand out – even be worth talking about to others. We promise it pays itself forward in a variety of ways.
At GlynnDevins, we’ve adopted this philosophy as part of our agency culture, and even award a one-degree recipient at our monthly agency meetings – just one more way we can salute those who continue to find unique and creative ways to turn up the heat.
So how will you take it up one degree today? We’d love to hear your examples.
One of the most important and influential women in my life recently passed away – at 97 years young, my grandmother lived a full and fulfilled life. The end was not what we had hoped it would be for her or for ourselves, as she spent her last five years in a small-town nursing home confined primarily to a wheelchair. That being said, and although it was not always perfect by our high standards, we know she was loved and truly cared for by those who worked there – and consistently known for her selfless ways, she was always asking us what she could do to help those who took care of her.
