How to Effectively Communicate Your Message to Baby Boomers (Part Two)
By: Anthony Herring
This article continues the subject matter first introduced in “How to Effectively Communicate Your Message to Baby Boomers (Part One)”.
1 – Changing Times
With baby boomers willing to understand the newer technology present nowadays, it’s clear that they are a viable part of the market. (This is important to note, as it goes against the misconception that they aren’t, which Alex Shvarts at Forbes magazine further explores in detail.)
Marketeers always seek the best way to communicate with prospects and their adult children, and while success can be found with radio, billboards, social media, and sponsorships, the holy grail still remains the basics.
2 – Methods of Communication
With boomers now in a better position technologically speaking, just how exactly do they use it to communicate? Well, rather than use tools such as social media platforms, they prefer more direct lines of communication—as both Ryan Jenkins of Entrepreneur and Rachel Pelta of FlexJob discuss in their respective articles—such as face-to-face interactions, phone calls, mail, and email.
There’s the old motto “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” and it seems that boomers are living by that. The days of their youth were dominated by analog devices—as discussed in Part One—so it is understandable why they’d opt for speaking with someone over the phone instead of speaking through direct messages (or “DMs”) on X. (That being said, there are probably boomers who are more willing—or perhaps even more accepting—of the changing times, and are open to using newer communication methods. Imagine a boomer replying to their grandchild’s story on Instagram, or even finally sending that Twitter DM to a distant cousin!)
3 – Heart of the Matter
Now, to finally answer the central question: how can you effectively communicate your message to boomers? In our opinion, the three strongest avenues to do this are through still remain to be television ads, direct mail, and emails. On the surface, all three methods are wildly different in terms of execution and possible engagement, but they all can act as a method of direct communication.
TELEVISION:
- Television ads have been a mainstay for decades, and an optimal way to reach boomers. There is a directness to TV that is difficult to replicate: the viewer watches a person or a group of people doing everyday things, like going to the park, hanging out with their family, walking their dog, etc. Seeing these experiences onscreen can personally speak to the viewer, as it can be relatable to them. Let’s use an example.
- Marion Smith is a seventy-six-year-old woman who is contemplating going to a retirement community. Her current house isn’t as accommodating as it used to be—what with her back and knee problems—and she needs assistance. As someone who isn’t the best at using newer technology to find places, and the older analog methods not working for her, she has been in a rut. One day, she turns on the TV and sees an ad for a retirement community, where a woman her age is talking about her body aches. Marion called the community’s phone number, scheduled a tour, and was blown away by the services provided. She ended up becoming a member, much to Marion’s joy. She identified with the woman in the ad.
MAIL:
- Much like with TV ads, mail has been a decades-long mainstay. It is a surefire way to reach many people, and while it doesn’t have that same level of visual engagement that TV does, it can be made more personable. The letter sent to an individual is mailed specifically to them, for starters, as it has both their name and address on it. This captures the recipient’s attention, making them go, “Hmm, this is for me? I wonder what it’s about,” causing them to open the letter. The letter—unlike the ad—won’t be able to show a visual to help relatability. Still, it can give specific details about what services the sender can provide to the recipient.
- Mason Harrison is a stubborn seventy-eight-year-old man who is set in his ways. He prefers to talk on his phone and receive mail than even participate in receiving emails and texts from family and friends. Unfortunately, his family feels that he should be in a community, but they have difficulty reaching him as his cell phone is rarely handy. They have been finding places for him but can’t send him emails with more information. One day—after a heated argument with his son, Ben—Mason receives a letter from a community in his neighborhood. He opens it, feeling a bit guilty about the argument. The mail details the community’s services for retirees, and as he reads on, Mason finds himself intrigued. He writes down the number and email in the letter, and while he isn’t entirely sure he wants to go, he is willing to look more into it. He calls Ben back and gives him the info, telling his son to investigate the email while he will try calling.
EMAIL:
- Email is essentially the next phase of mail’s evolution. It’s digitalized, it’s faster, it creates less clutter, etc. Much like with mail, however, it is personable: email is sent to users’ email accounts, where they can interact with it directly. They want to respond? They can go right on ahead. They want to ignore and / or delete it? They can do that, too. Unlike TV and mail, email can provide links, attachments, and even images regarding the subject that the sender wants to discuss with the recipient. The recipient can respond or ignore these add-ons if they so choose. Let’s explore one final example.
- Sheila Marks is a sixty-eight-year-old woman who retired a few years ago. She is actively looking for retirement communities to be a part of, having grown lonely in her cramped apartment complex. More tech-savvy than Marion and Mason, Sheila—with the help of her granddaughter, Mara—has had no luck browsing for communities online. One day, while browsing her Gmail account, Sheila saw an email from a local community. It was sent to her as a part of an AARP promotion, and after scouring the email, she believes she finally found her dream community. With Mara’s help, Sheila makes her way to the community’s website through a link on the email, and together, they navigate it—though Mara must make sure that she doesn’t go too quickly or else Sheila will be left behind!
Conclusion – Good Luck
We hope that Part Two has helped to illustrate not only how boomers’ relations with tech have changed, along with showing the three avenues that you can take to spread your community brand’s message. We wish you all the best of luck!
The details present in this blog article were comprised of information gathered from the sources listed below. I want to give credit where credit is due.
References
Man in Blue Long Sleeve Sweater Using Cellphone · Free Stock Photo (pexels.com)
The Misconception Of Baby Boomers And The Age Of Technology (forbes.com)
Baby Boomers & Tech – How The Pandemic Changed The Relationship – GWI
Four Ways Millennials Can Help Boomers Use Digital Tech at Work (livetilesglobal.com)
How to Improve Communication Between Generations in the Workplace | Entrepreneur
How to Bridge Communication Gaps Between Generations | FlexJobs
How to Effectively Communicate Your Message to Baby Boomers (Part One)
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By: Anthony Herring
Introduction – The Task at Hand
Communication is a wonderful skill. It has allowed us to forge relationships, establish connections, and bond with our fellow humans on a personal and professional level. It takes care, diligence, and, ultimately, trust, to communicate effectively and honestly.
Unfortunately, it has its flaws. It can be used to harm and misinform. It can be weaponized for abhorrent purposes. It can be warped and misshapen to the point where the intended message is unrecognizable to both those who received it and those who created it.
When considering these advantages and disadvantages, it’s of the utmost importance to fully understand the power of communication—especially as a member of the marketing industry. Communicating your brand message to consumers is a pivotal step in creating a relationship with them.
What ultimately makes the consumer base complex are the demographics, and since we work in senior living, our primary demos include baby boomers and members of the Silent Generation. While Silent Generation members make up a substantial portion of the retirement community population, baby boomers are the ones who will begin to think about staying in them. So, it’s key to understand how to properly communicate your branding to baby boomers so they’ll take your communities into consideration (and hopefully choose to stay in them).
1 – Who are the Baby Boomers?
Before we can discuss that, however, we must answer one important question: just who are the baby boomers?
According to the website Investopedia, the baby boomer generation was the cohort of children born in the eighteen-year period of 1946 to 1964. They are the successors of the Silent Generation (1928 – 1945) and the predecessors of Generation “Gen” X (1965 – 1980). They are given their name due to the eponymous “baby boom,” a result of the end of World War II. When the war ended, many were happy that a time of such destruction was finally over, so they celebrated by creating new families.
As of 2023, boomers are the second oldest living generation (the first being the Silent Generation, who would be in their eighties and nineties now). Thanks to this, boomers are either reaching or firmly in retirement age (as USA Today notes), making them the prime candidates for retirement communities!
2 – Boomers and Tech
Let’s just say that baby boomers and technology aren’t…the best of friends. Unlike their younger counterparts in Gens Z and Alpha—and even Millennials / Gen Y—boomers aren’t digitally literate. They have difficulty grasping the latest technological trends, often requiring help in attempting to use newer devices.
This isn’t surprising, as—like Jan Golden of the Huffington Post discusses—boomers grew up in a time when smartphones, social media apps, and the Internet were nonexistent. Back in their heyday (the seventies and the eighties), phones, mail—or “snail mail” due to its delivery speed—and fax machines were the dominant forms of technology. (Sure, the Internet did come around during the eighties, but it was a much different beast compared to the juggernaut that it is now.) Their brains are hardwired to the analog days of old, and because of that, attempting to adapt to a more digitized world is a rather difficult challenge.
However, the challenge is not impossible. Boomers have shown that despite their conflict with digitization, they are willing to work alongside it (perhaps knowing that they’ll have to accept it eventually, as change is inevitable). As the software platform Xeven Solutions touches upon, boomers over the past several years are open to welcoming assistance learning about new technologies. They understand it can benefit them despite how difficult the learning process can be.
Conclusion – To Be Continued
With that, Part One is concluded. We hope this article has helped to give you a better understanding of baby boomers and how their relationship with technology has changed over the years. Part Two will go into more detail regarding how to use this information to communicate your brand messaging to them effectively. Stay tuned!
The details in this blog article comprised information gathered from the sources listed below. I want to give credit where credit is due.
References
Young woman helping senior man with payment on Internet using laptop · Free Stock Photo (pexels.com)
Assisted Living Statistics: Population & Facilities in 2022 | A Place for Mom
Baby Boomer: Definition, Age Range, Characteristics, and Impact (investopedia.com)
Baby boomers: Age range, years and the generation’s impact on society (usatoday.com)
Why do baby boomers don’t understand technology? – XevenSolutions
The Real Reason Baby Boomers Hesitate with Technology | HuffPost Post 50
By: Anthony Herring
This article continues the subject matter first introduced in “How A.I. Can Improve the Lives of Seniors in Retirement Communities (Part One).”
1 – A Solid Pairing
As mentioned at the end of Part One, A.I. has already been implemented within senior living: two prominent programs are used by retirement communities that are quite beneficial to its residents.
The first program, dubbed “Minerva,” is mentioned by the retirement website myLifeSite in a piece they wrote; the program was created by the tech company TSOLife. Minerva acts as an A.I.-based software that collects data on residents within retirement communities. (Said data is collected with residents’ consent.) This software is in use by the retirement organization known as Benchmark. (The U.S.-based org is responsible for maintaining dozens of smaller communities on the East Coast.) They have a program called “Something in Common,” which is a project that aims to connect residents through mutual interests; Minerva is used to collect data on the residents and find possible matches for them through the project.
The second program, created by the tech company CareSmartz360, is called…well, “CareSmartz360.” This software is based upon A.I., and is used for home care usage within retirement communities. As detailed by the company itself, CareSmartz360 helps residents maintain their daily lives through multiple avenues: sending reminders for taking medicines, providing communication methods with friends and family, etc. Not only that—and this is probably the tool’s most beneficial feature—CareSmartz360 is capable of monitoring residents’ activities, which can potentially prevent emergency situations from happening.
For example, take the passive sensor technology that was discussed in Part One. An A.I. system like CareSmartz360 can be applied within a retirement community as a method both to help detect when a resident is about to fall on the floor or perhaps even predict the likelihood of a resident falling (a similar estimation made for if A.I. was applied to smart tech like Google Home in Part One). Depending on the situation, community staff can enact measures based on what CareSmartz360’s data determines and act accordingly.
2 – Proceed with Caution
As with every new technological advancement, there are grounds for caution—and A.I. is no exception. With the software’s usage growing at a rather alarming rate, it is unsurprising to see that people are worried at how frequently it’s appearing in our day-to-day lives.
Sadly, this means that seniors—the most vulnerable demographic regarding technology—are at great risk. A.I. is an incredibly malleable tool, so much so that it can be manipulated to spread misinformation, which the media company Decrypt has discussed in an article on the subject. The author, Nathan Reiff, notes that artificial intelligence can be used to create false news articles, blog posts, videos, etc., and that among certain circles, these pieces can spread like locusts. If seniors were a part of these groups—or even just generally browsing the Internet—and found these pieces, they might actually believe that they’re real. Now, if their loved ones were able to catch them in time, then they can prevent them from falling for misinformation in the future. (However, if they can’t, then these seniors might fall deeper down the rabbit hole, believing these pieces more and more to the point of disaster.)
Another notable danger is one that hurts everyone: the scam. Scams have grown more sophisticated since the Internet became more prominent in our lives, and unfortunately, they show no signs of stopping—especially when A.I. gets thrown into the mix. A.I. is capable of fabricating voices, so scammers can make it sound like anyone they wish. Their cousin? No problem. President Joe Biden? No brainer. Your little brother? Of course. It is a scary and dangerous practice, and with seniors as more-than-possible victims, they are easy targets.
One particularly troubling scam aimed at seniors is called “the Grandma scam,” which Forbes deliberates on in an article regarding A.I. According to its author, Carolyn Rosenblatt, this scheme involves scammers using A.I. to trick seniors into giving money to their “grandchildren.” The “children” in this instance aren’t that at all, and are actually the scammers using fabricated voices. Since seniors aren’t able to tell that the voices are falsified, they fall right into the trap.
Conclusion – Time Will Tell
A.I. is here to stay, and with it now being a part of senior living, it can be an incredibly helpful tool for seniors. Unfortunately, it is important to remain mindful of how it can be manipulated to harm them, and to take the necessary precautions. We shall see just how far A.I. goes in this industry.
The details present in this blog article were comprised of information gathered from the sources listed below. I want to give credit where credit is due.
References
A Bearded Man Playing Chess · Free Stock Photo (pexels.com)
Artificial Intelligence Used in Senior Living Communities (mylifesite.net)
TSOLife | Happier more connected senior living community
TSOLife | Minerva–AI for Improved Senior Living
Benchmark Senior Living | Assisted Living and Memory Care Communities
Home Care Management Software for Home Care Agencies | About Us (caresmartz360.com)
Cloud-based Advanced Home Care Agency Software Solution (caresmartz360.com)
Artificial Intelligence Enhancing Home Care for the Elderly (caresmartz360.com)
Cloud-based Advanced Home Care Agency Software Solution (caresmartz360.com)
What Are the Dangers of AI? – Decrypt
Will AI Help Or Hurt Our Aging Parents? (forbes.com)
By: Anthony Herring
Introduction – A Sudden Surge
Over the course of 2023, you’ve no doubt heard about a particular tool that is popping up in various industries: A.I. (short for “artificial intelligence”). With it seen as an eventual technological advancement, this surge was inevitable. A result of that inevitability is the growing presence of A.I. in the senior living industry. It will no doubt revolutionize the way retirement communities take care of their residents, acting as a platform to improve their experiences. Before we can further discuss said improvements, an important question must be answered.
1 – What is A.I.?
The technology firm McKinsey and Company defines A.I. as “a machine’s ability to perform cognitive [thinking and reasoning] functions we usually associate with the human mind.” From this definition, McKinsey considers A.I. to be a part of a long line of “smart machines,” which include devices such as calculators and personal computers.
As mentioned earlier, A.I. has been increasingly utilized in many different industries, and Forbes contributor Bernard Marr talks about these specific usages. He details that the retail sectors have been able to create more specific marketing practices and customer service chatbots; financial companies receive help with financial planning, wealth management, and fraud detection; security divisions can make more powerful surveillance networks and threat detection technology; healthcare providers can better customize treatment plans, collect patient data, monitor mental health, and so much more.
2 – What Technology is Present in Communities?
With A.I. making its way in senior living, it’s important to know what technology is already in use to see how this will soon embed itself on a larger scale.
In an article from December 2022, HealthTech Magazine reported that there will be a substantial digitalization of senior care in 2023. Its authors, Jessica Longly and Liz Cramer noted that there will be a rise in audio and video devices—such as FaceTime on Apple products—that can help seniors to communicate with their family and friends, along with allowing them to interact with smart technology, such as thermostats. Longly and Cramer also discussed how the implementation of A.I. could help with what they called “passive sensor technology,” a tool that can aid workers in preventing senior injuries such as falls.
With 2023 now here, was HealthTech right in their predictions? Well, yes, they were (and there is an example to prove it)! President and CEO Mike King authored an article about his retirement community, Jewish Senior Life, and the advancements it has made it using digital devices. He talks about how residents are able to use a plethora of audio and video tools to converse with friends and family, particularly Google Home (a smart speaker) and a computer system named “It’s Never 2 Late” or “iN2L” (a computer system that can help tailor residents’ interests).
Now, while A.I. doesn’t appear to be directly mentioned as part of Jewish Senior Life’s digital devices, it is easy to see how its presence could be applied: both Google Home and It’s Never 2 Late are smart tech, so A.I. could be used to predict what residents might plan to do that day or perhaps change their pre-adjusted schedule (Google Home) and provide specific—or even block—content based on what residents engaged with in the past (iN2L).
Conclusion – To Be Continued
With that, Part One is concluded. We hope this article has helped to give you a better understanding of A.I.’s growing presence and how it can affect the current technology in use at retirement communities. Part Two will go into more detail about two A.I. programs that certain communities are already using, and the potential dangers that could arise. Stay tuned!
The details present in this blog article were comprised of information gathered from the sources listed below. I want to give credit where credit is due.
References
A Robot Holding a Cup · Free Stock Photo (pexels.com)
What is AI (Artificial Intelligence)? | McKinsey
15 Amazing Real-World Applications Of AI Everyone Should Know About (forbes.com)
3 Senior Care Tech Trends to Watch in 2023 | HealthTech Magazine
Smart Technology Takes Hold in Retirement Communities (nextavenue.org)
Smart home automation from Google | Google Home
iN2L | Senior Engagement Technology
“Hey, you’re doing a good job,” said Keith, a hurried executive director over his shoulder to a nurse in a senior living community. The nurse welcomes the compliment in this fictitious scenario, but she’s left with questions.
What exactly am I doing well?…Is he just saying that?…Does he even know my name?
“Mary, I wanted to tell you how much we appreciate you here,” said director of nursing Rob, stopping Mary in the hallway and looking her directly in the eyes. “Your warmth with residents and ability to see to their needs even before they ask is truly a gift. We are so fortunate to have you on our team, and you’re really helping us achieve our goals.”
As we well know at this point, almost a year to the day since the pandemic turned our lives upside down, those who care for others are some of the most dedicated, overworked people. They are the most deserving of truthful, positive, and specific recognition of their efforts – on a regular basis.
As leaders in the senior living space, we must be less like Keith, tossing out general platitudes while rushing on to the next thing, and more like Rob. At least Keith said something, right? Doesn’t that count? Yes, but now more than ever, we need to be intentional, genuine, and explicit in our praise of our treasured human resources. It’s interesting to note here that 67 percent of managers think they are above average in offering recognition, but only 23 percent of their employees agree, according to the authors of Leading with Gratitude.
Honing in on skills and gifts particular to each individual and recognizing the whole person in relation to work, home and family has tremendous impact on employee retention – more even than the almighty dollar. Indeed, a Gallup survey revealed that the top three things team members say they need to stay with a company are 1) appreciation; 2) help with personal problems; and 3) feeling “in” on things. Money was not among the top three.
But let’s not complicate things. While ceremonies and dinners and plaques in the lunchroom are nice, they’re impractical until herd immunity is achieved and can also feel a bit exclusive. Singular focus on one or two employees risks alienating others, especially the “silent heroes” among us.
Rather, it’s the micro-recognitions – the small, organic and consistent acknowledgments across the board – that pack the biggest punch in helping staff feel truly valued and appreciated. And while it’s certainly not rocket science, there are some practices leaders can employ that are especially effective.
Given that March is employee appreciation month, and senior living is an industry suffering staff turnover rates as high as 36 percent per year, now is an appropriate time to look at how we can inspire employees to stay.
Open Your Eyes
The bedrock of robust employee recognition is noticing the specific ways in which each individual team member is contributing to the health and mission of your organization. If telling your employees that you appreciate what they’re doing at the time they’re doing it isn’t possible or practical, keep a notebook of names and details that you can express to each person at a later time – but not too much later. How you express your gratitude, whether verbally, in a text, email, note, on social media (with permission), isn’t as important as what you say. Be specific, and praise often!
Open Your Ears
A huge part of feeling valued is feeling heard. Your employees are some of your best resources for ideas on how to improve programs and practices and implement new ones. Solicit and listen to their ideas, then really put them to use. Lip service will cause discouragement and motivation to find a more fulfilling work experience. And don’t forget to offer positive feedback on employees’ suggestions that are working well.
Be Inclusive
An “ivory tower” culture breeds contempt. Whether literal or figurative, separation between C-suite personnel and hands-on workers creates a barrier of exclusiveness that alienates and disheartens essential employees. Include all levels of staff in company-wide initiatives, changes, decisions, and solicit their ideas, feelings and feedback. Beware of optics too: posting photos of your fabulous vacations on social media or staying away from your community during COVID upticks or other threats sends the wrong message.
Brush Up on Soft Skills
Some leaders (even in an industry anchored in care) don’t naturally prioritize the “warm fuzzy” stuff that means so much to individual team members. Identifying those who need a little help with soft skills and offering them tools or training could go a long way toward keeping vital human resources for the long haul. The SAIL acronym might be useful for these folks: identify the Situation an employee was in; the Action they took; the Impact it had; then Link it back to the overall purpose of your organization.
Employ Technology
Modern technology offers several platforms to help managers offer consistent positive feedback to staff and regularly gauge employee satisfaction. These platforms do for staff retention what other software does for meeting deadlines and sales goals.
Offer Special Perks
Essential workers need time off more than ever before. Offering rotating half days, covering a portion of gas or transportation fees to work, sending monthly goodies to their homes, inquiring about their families and where help at home may be needed…these are all meaningful ways to say “we appreciate you” to your staff. Of course, even a small raise or holiday bonus sends a big message of thanks.
Focus on Success
It’s easy to dwell on dwindling census, ailing residents, demanding safety procedures, low resident and family morale, but there is still much good news in senior living – even during a pandemic. Sharing with staff the little victories, innovations, triumphs and successes they made happen not only mitigates employee burnout, it sends a message of hope, resilience and recovery. This too shall pass, and when it does, your team will be stronger, more confident, and better able to serve current and future residents to the best of their amazing ability.
We at IVY are proud of our clients’ efforts to recognize their valued employees. We are also here to help them achieve the staff longevity that is so important to prospective residents and their families. With 30 years of marketing and public relations experience in the senior living space, our team of experts can help you craft intentional employee communications programs, incentives and initiatives tailored to your unique community, culture and common causes.
And because past and current staff members sometimes turn to employee websites to air grievances in the workplace, it is important to monitor those sites to stay apprised and ahead of potential conflict. We can help you with that, too.
Employee appreciation doesn’t end with the close of this month. It should be a priority every day of the year. Contact IVY Marketing Group to help you keep it top of your list.
IVY MARKETING GROUP. COME GROW WITH US.
