Tag Archive for: seniors

2012 What’s Next Boomer Business Summit

The 9th annual What’s Next Boomer Business Summit is produced by Mary Furlong & Associates, and is the official post-conference event of the American Society on Aging (ASA) Aging in America Conference.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Marriott Wardman Park Hotel Washington D.C.
Website: www.BoomerSummit.com

This years Theme: The New Normal

The New Normal will showcase the groundswell in social media, the surge in a Service Economy, and rising of the independent sector.

Join us where America’s leading analysts, corporate strategists, brand managers, entrepreneurs, nonprofit executives, authors, bloggers and tweeters meet to explore:
  • Who profits from the senior market and global boomer
  • Emerging trends in Markets, both Global and US
  • How mobile and wireless growth lead to monetization of boomers and their children and grandchildren.
  • Distribution models for reaching and engaging the boomer, the senior, the  caregiver, and the grandparent
  • Trends that engage consumers with integrated media; whether local, social, mobile, print or through gaming
  • New Normal Frugal Economy: the forecast for financial services, housing, consumer directed healthcare, aging in place, and entrepreneurship
  • Raising money for a start-up idea; brands entrepreneurs need to jump-start business
  • The boomer-seniors effect on the 2012 election

How to Accelerate Lead Generation Through Social, Mobile & Integrated Media 10:30 am – 10:45 am

In the new normal, it is all about customer acquisition, retention and service. Discover the latest trends in how companies are using media to drive leads.

Laura Mitchell – VP, Marketing, GrandCare Systems Will be a Featured speaker along side:

Moderator – Lori Bitter, President, Crew Media
Andy Cohen, CEO, Caring.com
Stephen Chen, CEO, NewRetirement

“Empower the user — product design assumptions for boomers and seniors”

Just read a post by Laurie Orlov (Aging in Place Technology Watch: ageinplacetech.com) and I wanted to share it here:

http://www.ageinplacetech.com/blog/empower-user-product-design-assumptions-boomers-and-seniors

Here are my thoughts…what do you think???

I am torn on this issue. I do believe that this is going to happen. I’m not entirely convinced that it is happening currently. At GrandCare, we offer ADL&Wellness monitoring ONLY along with a TV-based communication station OR the all-in-one interactive touchcomputer that provides all the benefits of the Internet on a touchpanel with a touchkeyboard – just no mouse (touchscreen). I do believe that as time goes on, our “seniors” are going to be more savvy, expect more, want to use more, want to feel empowered, etc.

This whole thing really depends on who we are talking about. There is obviously a huge difference between 65, 75 and 95. For our younger customers – the ones who really are choosing to “age responsibly”, they are not choosing to ditch their computers to use GrandCare. They don’t have to! They can use both and enjoy them for different reasons. I have a GrandCare System in my house. Why? To monitor various things, when the dog was let out, monitor the in-home temp, keep track of my weight/BP, and of course to see the montage of pictures, videos, etc on the touchscreen. My kids love it, it’s a conversation piece and fun to watch. I do have older customers that you couldn’t convince to use the touchscreen. It’s not comfortable for them and we don’t force it! They can simply watch the channel on the TV with the slideshow of information.

The important thing is they need to feel connected to society – all of these solutions help to do that in one way or another. They need to feel empowered – now if that just means being able to stay home, or being able to use the touchscreen or being able to have a pic of the grandchild on presto that they can bring along to the senior center… It really doesn’t matter HOW they get the information. It only matters if they are comfortable with it, feel involved, feel in control and of course feel happiness overall!

I do appreciate this article, though, because even though I agree with many of Peter’s comments, I think this issue is an important one to remember. Even in 2 years time, this will be even more relevant. As our boomers turn into seniors, that’s a HUGE shift in thinking.

And I don’t mind being continually reminded who we are serving and making sure we/our organization stays on target!

thanks Laurie & Peter(s) for another interesting and insightful conversation!

Laura Mitchell
GrandCare Systems
www.grandcare.com