The Business of Aging

SeniorCareMarketer.com Named as a Member Benefit for International Mature Marketing Network (IMMN)

Online marketing and public relations service provider SeniorCareMarketer.com has entered into an alliance with International Mature Marketing Network (IMMN) to make SeniorCareMarketer.com's proprietary online marketing software available to IMMN as member benefit.

A direct response to America’s growing senior population, SeniorCareMarketer.com combines a database of web-based marketing and public relations (PR) opportunities with press release distribution tools and SEO campaign management and measurement abilities.

“As IMMN develops our strong strategic plan for the organization, our partnership with Senior Care Marketer is one of the new ways we are providing members with greater value moving forward,” said Lori Bitter, president of IMMN.

“The aging of the population worldwide is not just a trend—it’s a demographic tsunami that is creating millions of dollars of business opportunity,” said Mark Willaman, founder of SeniorCareMarketer.com. “With that business growth comes the need to better understand and communicate to these demanding and complex consumers.”

Press release here.

 

Where to Live When We Get Old. Help!

The Wall Street Journal Sunday does a great job at covering a variety of "elder" care topics week to week. This week's topic was Woes of 'Continuing Care' Centers.

The article provides not so much a critique on CCRCs (continuing care residential community) but things to consider when researching them, determining if they are the right option for you (or your loved ones) and how to go about selecting one.

The same WSJ Sunday has another article (from their sister magazine SmartMoney) titled Picking a Nursing Home which gives some good advice on finding and evaluating nursing homes. 

We have many options on where to live as we age - right? (I'm not talking geography)

Well, sort of but not really. The big four include:

1. Stay in your house/condo/apartment and as your needs increase bring in hourly help for meal preparation, assistance with activities of daily living, companionship, etc.
2. CCRCs
3. Assisted Living
4. Nursing Homes

Other options include cohabitation (dad moves in with the kids) and the really interesting (and sometimes bizarre) trend of co-operative arrangements.

While I am a huge proponent of aging in place (at home) I am aware that this option may not be for everyone - by their choice or otherwise - e.g., it is not a realistic option when your caregiving needs become too much for one or even two people to manage (the final stages of Alzheimer's).

One problem I have with the senior care marketplace is how representatives from each housing option seem to market their products as if their option (i.e., assisted living) should be the ONLY option you consider. 

Selecting a "place" to age is complex. So many factors go into it - personalities, physical and mental health needs, family dynamics, money, etc.  And people usually transition from one option to another. They start out at home, move to assisted living and then maybe to a nursing home. Making these "where to live" choices requires a lot of thought, preparation and research and unfortunately a lot of families don't put enough effort into it - or are unable to.

This is why I see a growth in truly "independent" services that educate families and individuals on the various senior housing options and guide them through the evaluation and selection. A buyer broker if you will that has no ties to any particular option nor takes placement fees or commissions from chosen options.


The closest we have to this type of service today for the masses are employee benefits like work-life or EAPs but most individuals in the country do not have access to such services. Another option is geriatric care managers (probably the best option) but they are expensive (up to $100 an hour) and not everyone can afford them. Then you have the Administration on Aging which is wonderful but like many government agencies providing support to the public it is understaffed and quality of support is inconsistent.

Maybe a solution is a type of supplemental insurance product geared toward evaluating and selecting caregiving options as we age.

I don't know but I do know there is a huge business opportunity for anyone who can figure it out.

Now if we can just pay for it once we do make the decision - but that's another topic.

Senior Friendly Mobile Phone Roundup

This senior friendly mobile phone roundup comes from our guest author, Ellen Geotz, a writer for  AllAssistedLivingHomes.com  and GuideToNursingHomes.com. It's quite useful.

Over the last year the number of senior friendly mobile phones on the market has increased, and in the last few months a number of new models have debuted or been announced. While most mobile phones seem to target the younger, tech savvy demographic, there is a small faction of mobile phones that look to have a focus on marketing towards seniors citizens. Some of the mobile phones on the market are even hearing aid compatible, which make it easy for seniors to hear properly, but there is still a chance the senior will have an interference that may cause static buzzing sounds. There are a variety of options when shopping for a senior friendly mobile phone, and each one has a unique set of features that help make it easy to use. Below we have a roundup of some senior friendly mobile phones that have been recently released on the market.

Samsung Jitterbug J - Earlier this year Samsung showed off the Jitterbug J in Red mobile phone at CES 2010, and it was launched to help support the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women movement. If sales go well for the Jitterbug J in Red, then Samsung will donate up to $500,000 towards the AHA's Go Red For Women movement. There are a variety of features on the Jitterbug J line of mobile phones which make it one of the most senior friendly options on the market. These include Jitterbug's 24-hour LiveNurse service, health and wellness apps, and “Daily Health Tips” application. Additionally it has a large keypad and display, Bluetooth, and no contracts or prepaid hassles. For only $99, the Jitterbug J is a great deal for a senior friendly mobile phone. 


Amplicom PowerTel M6000 - Released in the U.K., the Amplicom PT M6000 has a large 2 inch color display, large buttons, and a fall sensor that triggers and emergency call. In addition, the mobile phone has amplified volume on the ringer and headset, plus it is fully hearing aid compatible. This senior friendly mobile phone is reasonably priced at £119.00, plus £3.99 for delivery.

Motorola i365 - This mobile phone is larger than most of the options on the market for seniors, as it is designed to be much more durable and rugged. This is not to say you can drop it frequently, but the sturdy design gives the appearance that this phone does not have to be handled in a delicate fashion. The display is a bit smaller than other senior friendly mobile phones, at only 1.62 inches, but the sharp colors help to make everything easy to read. All the buttons on this phone have a rubberized covering, which makes it easier to use, but the button size is not very large. The Motorola i365 is available in most areas in the U.S., and the price is only $99.99 for those who get a new 2 year contract.

Just5 - This mobile phone has a clear mission to be extremely easy to use by offering big buttons with a very nice layout. Additionally the volume is much louder to allow for a better user experience for seniors. In an emergency, seniors can preset up to five phone numbers for critical contacts like 911, family, friends, and doctors. When a senior presses the Just5 emergency SOS button, it sends a text with an urgent message to these five numbers, then it dials them in prioritized order. While some marketers focus on bringing the most high tech mobile phone to consumers, others have a more basic approach, and want to simplify things to differentiate themselves in the market. The Just5 will run $119.99, which is a not too expensive for a sleek and simple senior friendly mobile phone.

Samsung Haven - The senior friendly Haven mobile flip phone from Samsung is aggressively attacking the market, with Verizon Wireless offering it for only $39.99 with a two-year agreement. It has a 2.2-inch display, large adjustable fonts, and good sized buttons to make it easy for seniors to use. Some of the other senior friendly features are medical management tools, dedicated 911 keys, and ICE (In Case of Emergency) buttons.

Clearly, the mobile phone industry is starting to answer the need for senior friendly mobile phones.  In a world where people expect quick and easy communication from any location with the push of a button, mobile phones continue to impress and saturate the market.  As the generations of mobile phone users start to enter senior living homes, we should expect to see even more advancements in cell phones for the elderly.

About the Guest Author:

Ellen Geotz is a writer for  AllAssistedLivingHomes.com  and GuideToNursingHomes.com.  She grew up on the east coast and spent 10 years working in assisted living homes during her 20's and 30's before taking a break to raise her 3 children. Now that her children are in college, Ellen uses her knowledge of senior care to help her write about all of the latest industry news. Ellen is a fabulous seamstress, and when not writing about the senior care industry, you can find her sewing away on her latest fashion creation.