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.

 

New Twitter List - The Business of Aging

I recently (I know, late to the party) started a Twitter account for SeniorCareMarketer.com to share timely news on the senior and Boomer marketplace so I invite you to follow us on Twitter. 

I quickly realized there are some really fabulous Twitter accounts on the subject of Aging, Boomers and senior care. So I am building a Twitter List that aggregates these various Twitter accounts.  The List is The Business of Aging and I invite you to follow the list.

If you know of any Twitter accounts that I should add to this list please let me know. I tend to favor non promotional Twitter accounts that provide useful news on the space. Check it out here.

Disruptive Demographics: The Future of Retirement

I've been spending time this morning on Disruptive Demographics,  an online publication providing insights on the convergence of global aging and technology on business innovation and public policy.

Disruptive Demographics draws upon original research conducted at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology AgeLab, business cases, cross-national data, developments in technology, and lifestyle trends to present new thinking about old age.

In particular I wanted to share two audio interviews with Joseph Coughlin on the subject of disruptive demographics and the future of retirement – best characterized by the baby boomer’s new expectations for old age.

The next generation of retirees are more likely to demand the opportunity to remain engaged, productive, and to have the flexibility to work, care, learn and play in old age. What opportunities for business innovation do these expectations create? What personal and public challenges are ahead?

Listen to these excellent interviews with Joseph Coughlin - really interesting stuff.

Part 1. An Introduction to Disruptive Demographics 
Part 2. Envisioning Retirement Tomorrow  

New Senior Care Award and Membership Organization

I wanted to update our readers on a new award opportunity and membership association.

Award
Three leading senior-care companies announce an alliance to highlight eldercare providers with high customer satisfaction ratings. SeniorCareMarketer.com, The National Senior Living Providers Network and The Senior List® are proud to announce the 2010 Silver Service Awards program. The Silver Service Awards will recognize eldercare providers offering superior customer service, as rated by their own customers at The Senior List's consumer-opinion website. More information here.

Membership Organization
The Aging Technology Alliance is a new association for companies that market to the aging population. The purpose of the association is to promote the awareness, benefits and value of member products & services and assist in the advancement of member companies & individual members. This is done by facilitating innovation through professional development, and by creating a vital and expanding aging technology community. A current list of members is here and you can join here.

Day Two - Aging in America 2010 & Boomer Summit

Most of my time has been spent around the exhibit floor so I cannot comment on the quality of sessions but virtually everyone I spoke to had nothing but positive remarks. Traffic has been pretty good on the exhibit floor with a very diverse mix of vendors representing all categories of senior care products and services.

Today I want to bring attention to the NCOA's new "Straight Talk for Seniors on Health Reform" initiative.  The NCOA cosponsors this event with the ASA and they really are an excellent voice in the aging marketplace. If you are involved in this market I highly recommend joining and supporting the NCOA  - it's a quality organization.

The NCOA launched their new Straight Talk for Seniors on Health Reform initiative yesterday. It lays out five straight facts on how health reform will affect seniors, including Medicare benefits and premiums, long-term care, and more. And because the NOCA is a non partisan, non profit organization they cut though the politics to give straight answers. NCOA President & CEO James Firman said:

“For 40 years, NCOA has proudly stood up for the interests of older adults, from supporting the passage of Medicare in 1965 to helping people understand and navigate complex benefits programs today. Seniors know they can trust NCOA to provide the straight talk they want on this important and complicated issue.”

Read it here and share it widely with the older adults in your life. It's only two pages, with an optional third page of citations.

Site Recommendation. Aging in Place Technology.

This is a great site  and blog.

Laurie M. Orlov runs the site. Laurie is a tech industry veteran, writer, speaker and elder care advocate, and the founder of Aging in Place Technology Watch, a market research firm that provides thought leadership, analysis and guidance about technologies and related services that enable boomers and seniors to remain longer in their home of choice. In addition to her technology background and years as a technology industry analyst, Laurie is a certified long-term care ombudsman in Florida and the author of When Your Parents Need Elder Care.

I highly recommend registering (free) on this site if you work in the field of "senior care" or are interested in technologies that can keep Boomers in their home longer. Once you have an account you will have access to a ton of great resources including the updated 2009 Market Overview of "Technology for Aging in Place", a 29-page report.