Every seven seconds someone in America turns 50, according to SoldOnSeniors.com. Where will they live? Adjusting to retirement and “empty nests,” many will move to communities that offer lifestyle choices that meet their new needs.
Housing for the senior market includes a variety of different options, including independent living, assisted living, nursing homes and continuing care. Whichever definition your community fits into, providing the right amenities to the after-55 demographic is essential.
Many seniors like to do one of the following in their spare time: traveling, walking and other light exercise, reading, going to theater (cinema and live), volunteering and listening to music. Knowing some of these preferences can help ensure your community offers what after age-55 residents want, making your community highly desirable.
Transportation. Seniors like to get out and do things in their spare time. If your community can assist them in any way, that would be a great feature to advertise. For example, provide transportation for shopping excursions, theater and to local restaurants.
Scheduled activities. Organize bridge tournaments, Bunco, yoga or perhaps training sessions for avid walkers or swimmers.
Offer services. Blood-pressure testing or seasonal flu vaccines, salon services or even income-tax preparation during tax season would be greatly appreciated.
Educational resources. Provide a daily dose of media by making newspapers, magazines and the Internet available to residents. Offer tutorials on social media Web sites. Did you know that seniors are the fastest growing demographic on Facebook? The number of users over age 55 on Faebook grew by 513.7 percent between January and July 2009, writes blogger Stan Schroeder in his post, “Facebook Users Are Getting Older. Much Older.”
By finding out the preferences of your over-age-50 residents and by being responsive to their needs, you can not only help ensure their satisfaction, but also the success of your community.
Source: Erika Campbell, Senior Manager, New Media Marketing, at For Rent Media Solutions