Better Older Lives

COVID-19 has changed, is changing, and will change the way the world works and the way older adults search for “home”, meaning, purpose, and value in the coming months and years.

Thanks to those who have invited me into their most sensitive conversations in how to best manage the line between safety and autonomy in these volatile times. Thanks to those who invited me to work on research into demographics and consumer preferences that will shape the evolution of their communities and services. Thanks as well for invitation to focus on the margins that will support missions going forward.

I am humbled and invigorated by these invitations to live up to the needs and high expectations of this moment. It is challenging to lift our heads from the work of making sure our residents, members, and team remain healthy and safe from the virus that causes COVID-19… but it can be a relief to look forward to the lessons we will have learned in a year or so.

Will the the support and delivery systems of communities and programs be even stronger, more redundant, and of even higher value to customers in a year? It is hard to imagine a world where there is not greater appeal to having a relationship with an experienced, dedicated, professional team with the mission to serve older adults in the post COVID-19 world. Many of the organizations best positioned to answer that call have been preparing for this moment for decades. Here’s to the continued focus to do everything you can, with what you have, where you are in this moment.

Prayers for those who are sick, those who love them, those who care for them, those who work on treatments and vaccines, and those who provide food and supplies… and the toilet paper!

Stick Together / Stay Apart,

Perry

Sustained 33% increase in move-ins

Just over a year after opening a community in the deep south ended their relationship with their developer and manager and brought in their own team…necessitating recreating all their operations and marketing functions. There was some progress on occupancy, but attrition was beginning to take its toll and this IL/AL/MC community of just over 200 residences was only 37% occupied a year and half after opening.

Through an industry referral they connected with Longevity Markets and we agreed to work together on an analysis of their market, the community’s offerings (IL/AL/MC), and their marketing and sales teams and programs. The objective of this work was to generate a prioritized short list of strategies and tactics to increase move-ins and occupancy. After two weeks of working closely with the board, leadership, and team, everyone committed to the path forward including an aggressive fill schedule, and a streamlined admissions process and criteria. Longevity Markets joined the effort through a performance-based plan to manage existing creative partners to increase qualified leads and move-in and expand the marketing budget and sales team. That team effort increased move-ins by 33% and the community has sustained that pace for over a year and a half!!!

COVID-19 has already brought challenges to senior housing and is certain to continue to do so for the foreseeable future. This community and team effort proves that even the most challenging circumstances can be overcome when there is consensus, commitment, and focus on the customer. Perhaps that is the good that can come from this crisis, all of us listening more closely to our respective customers. Whether they are senior living community residents, Continuing Care at Home program members, loved ones, or the team that serves them… they are our mission and our margin. They are the reason to get up in the morning and improving their lives and experiences are the difference we can make in our life’s work.

From Something New, to K4Connect, to Longevity Markets, LeadingAge is time for new starts and an opportunity to learn something new. The past few years have been an exploration of how technology is changing aging and how communities and programs can bring it all together. It is exciting to launch Longevity Markets in San Diego this year.

What does Longevity Markets do? We work with organizations dedicated to bettering older lives to help start new communities, services, and products and we help evaluate and restore existing businesses that deserve a fresh start.

The two presentations below touch on passions and areas of focus: Continuing Care at Home Programs (Life Plan at Home), Continuing Care Retirement Communities (Life Plan Communities), and technologies that helps keep people safer, healthier, and more connected in the home of their choice.

10-E. Technology Innovations for Life Plan Communities and Life Plan at Home, and

126-H. Break Out of the Mold: Moving Away from Highly Refundable Entrance Fees

Hope to see you there and connect sometime soon!

Safe travels,

Perry