By: Kecia Lilly
At Concierge Care Advisors, back in 2011, we conducted a blind survey to determine what amenities people valued most highly in assisted living facilities and across the senior care communities. Some of the results were obvious and others were very interesting, showing some fascinating data points in the industry.
We began the survey with broad amenities and boiled down into the more granular services. For starters, we discovered that the top 3 most desired services were:
- Assistance with daily needs
- Community meals
- In-room emergency call system
Of course, these three may come as no surprise. Once in a senior care community elders want the basic necessities that ensure safety, health, and ease of living. The top three sum that up.
Now, while this was a non-scientific, blind survey conducted through email and social media outlets, we can ascertain that 90% were among the Baby Boomers (ages 45 and over).
Interestingly enough, the participants valued recreational activities over transportation. Now transportation provided at senior care communities is usually to grocery stores or religious services, but it could also be to a putting green or even the local theater. The implication from these contributors seems to be that they’d prefer their new home provides some kind of entertainment as opposed to finding it elsewhere.
This was backed up by the fact that the more granular question of transportation showed that Boomers would rather have a “community or facility-owned shuttle service” over an onsite parking garage or public shuttle service. There was a stark contrast between a community-owned shuttle and the runner-up of an onsite parking garage. This indicates that prospective residents of senior care communities are not planning on driving at this age. So the fact that transport comes lowest on necessities, but the community-owned shuttle is what they want over onsite parking, then we can infer that they want their home to feel like a home, in that they don’t want to want to leave.
The community should feel like home to them, it should be a place of comfort and not a medical prison. This is further exemplified in the fact that the other, lower ranking amenities were: medical personnel staff, 24-hour security, and wellness program. The reason for this may not simply be because they do not foresee medical problems in their future, but more likely because they want to maintain independence and still have the senior care community feel like home. Admittedly, if droves of medical staff were wandering around the community, it may feel more like a hospital than a home.
The top ranked social amenities were “trips outside the facility” and “onsite outdoor activities.” This demonstrates that prospective residents want the option to leave, but they don’t want to feel like they need to escape.
In our experience, working with families in the senior housing industry, many fear the same stereotypes they’ve grown to know over the years. At Concierge Care Advisors, we can assure you that your loved one will not loathe their new home. We put each senior housing facility through severe scrutiny to makes sure they’re upholding only the highest of standards. You will receive quality care through our advisors.
