That 'Touch of Hospitality' Offers Differentiation for Senior Living Communities. By John Hendrie
Remember the images – shuffleboard, palm trees, a pink flamingo, perhaps a trip in a golf cart, card playing, square dancing, grandchildren visiting, senior love affairs – yada, yada!
No longer for the retiring sorts, no matter the health or the finances. Life is a bowl of cherries – live it, love it.
These Senior Living communities are about to feel the blast of another generation – the Boomers. The only thing that is holding them back is the price of entry – sitting on their homes and a pile of equity. When the market begins to move, so will they, and the choices are multiple, tiered and fantastic.
Boomers can look at Independent Living, Skilled Nursing, Assisted Living, Nursing Homes, Rehab, Surgical Respite, Retiree Homes and Apartments, Special Care like for Alzheimers. You can find a location to your liking in the woods, in the fields, near the campuses or close to cities of all sizes. This generation seeks the Experience, and the Senior Living industry is just beginning to understand the significance of that, whereas the Hospitality Industry has tracked changing patterns, tastes and interests for years, and then they adapted. The two paths are beginning to merge, for it is about the Experience, the Hospitality “touch” and the memories.
For the Senior Living Sector Executives, it all begins with the research, the Best Practices, the definition of the Brand, the resultant standards and protocols and then the measurement – constant and consistent. The big challenge is the integration of what insight has been gained, and, of course, the enculturation process, for many of the staff come from a medical background. It is not that they do not care; they are just not keyed into or sensitive to the “touch points” or Customer Service aspects, which can optimize the Senior Living Experience.
So, the Boomer hordes are out there. They are determined, decisive, demanding. Senior Living operations must adapt, market and practice their differentiation within their marketplace. To become the Senior Living Destination of Choice they must be distinct. The “Hospitality Touch” goes beyond a smile and simple courtesies. It is how we make one feel – respected, cared for, special, no matter the circumstances or environment. Many of the Senior Living communities have elevated services and amenities to make their properties more attractive – Butlers, Concierge, Guest Services, gourmet dining, Room Service, property amenities and special outings and events. It seems as if they have borrowed a page, doesn’t it?
We in Hospitality know how to entertain, to provide comfort and nourishment, to create an aura and setting full of joy, magic, even excitement, which stimulates the senses and makes memories for a lifetime. Our expertise with an industry soon to flourish exponentially is a natural fit. It is about the Experience, no matter the continuum.
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