As the Baby Boom generation edges toward a retirement that is proving elusive for many, it may be a good time to make a few observations.
Why won’t people act their age? We’ve all seen the videos of supposed seniors boogieing along with people half their age. Or heard stories of people rather advanced in years dating online or taking up skydiving or ATV-ing. Or had friends or parents who have up and headed off to Sturgis, SD on their hogs.
Whether they’re Boomers or members of the older Silent Generation, one thing is certain: retirement and post-retirement ain’t what they used to be, any more than the old grey mare.
When we look at the reasons, it helps us better understand our residents and prospects, as well as position our communities to better serve them – and turn these people into our best brand ambassadors!
Let’s take a quick look at some reasons – and some changing definitions – that underlie behavioral changes.
Money. After all, flaunting convention can be a matter of wherewithal. And many seniors today have the monetary wherewithal. In fact, it often falls to adult children to help their parents conserve and protect their parents’ financial assets, especially in cases where memory and confusion is an issue.
And yet, today’s era of ongoing economic uncertainty produces in many seniors a tension between the urge to spend on self-actualization and an opposing need to conserve assets for legacy or inheritance purposes. Senior living communities that are able to help their residents and caregiving family members navigate these twin objectives can provide a needed service while demonstrating both practical and emotional value.
Health. On the surface, this would seem to need no explanation at all since the effects of improvements in healthcare and medical technology are well known. However, there is obviously more to being an “active adult” than a daily trip on the treadmill or splash in the therapy pool.
Not two decades ago, the standard retirement paradigm often revolved around permanently migrating to Florida or another place in the sun (and life in shorts and dark socks). Today’s senior living model is much more apt to involve aging-in-place or a relocation near children and grandchildren.
For senior living communities, at least two conclusions result. First, physical activities should be linked, where possible, to the outdoor activities available locally, whether walking or hiking, bicycling, paddling or other outdoor activities. And secondly, communities should adapt to consider adult children and grandchildren as periodic and welcome guests.
Does your community have places, both inside and out, where families can enjoy each other’s presence and celebrate life together?
Self-Concept. This one is a bit more obscure, but can be grasped in its historical context. The Silent Generation were, in their early years, men in grey flannel suits and often women in aprons. The postwar babies would become the first Jet Set, to whom the entire earth, not to mention their own global ambitions, were suddenly accessible.
In later middle age, the freedom of these formative years has translated into an insatiable appetite for experience, one which will not be sated simply because their agility begins to wane. This will put pressure on senior living communities to accommodate greater freedom and, indeed, greater choices.
More importantly, in addition to variety of experiences, new seniors can be expected to value a certain randomness or unpredictability in their calendar of events. What their forebears may have valued as comfort and predictability, the coming Boomers will likely view as constraint. Senior living communities that can adapt to the demand for variety are likely to be well served.
Socialization. Latecomers to digital technology, the Silents were never entirely comfortable in a world in which “sharing” suddenly meant revealing the details of one’s innermost thoughts or feelings. The Boomers have no such constraints and are racing their own children and grandchildren in adoption.
The implications are large. For senior living communities, the next generation of residents can be expected to quickly become their best brand ambassadors – or something else, entirely. This means that whatever positive experiences a community generates have the potential to provide contacts and extend experiences beyond the community itself! While the conversation that results can be guided, it cannot be completely controlled.
Seniors are not going to act their age. “Tuesday night is Bingo night” as a viable events tactic likely has a short shelf life. Branded affinity communities are coming, if not here already.
The good news is the Boomers were raised on experimentation. And that likely means it’s time to start getting creative with your marketing strategy.
To explore creative strategies for branding your senior living community, visit www.walker-marketing.com.
Author Bio
Steve Lasch’s experience includes more than 30 years in advertising and marketing and spans both the creative and strategy sides of the business. He has worked as an account planner, copywriter and creative director and brings insights gained from tourism, real estate, economic development and consumer branding to his work for senior living clients. In the latter category, campaigns he has worked on have spanned the full continuum of care, including independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing and rehabilitation and holistic wellness.
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