Kenneth Dupin, a Virginia Minister, understood the need for another option for senior care. While Dupin was pursuing his doctoral degree, his studies took him to countries abroad where he made the observation that other cultures had a much different attitude towards the aging than there was here in the United States. Caring for elderly family members was an honor in other countries. Bringing them into the home and sharing the emotional and financial responsibility was a given. These observations gave Dupin an idea to develop a dwelling, equipped with the latest technology, in which the elderly adult can live right on their family member’s property, giving peace of mind to all by knowing they are so close. He dubbed his creation Med Cottage.

The Med Cottage is approximately 300 square feet and comes equipped with some notable features including a lift, video system for checking in on the older adult, special lighting on both the floor and ceiling, and technology to dispense medications and monitor vital signs.

The cost?  The Cottage is $85,000 plus another $5000 for the software. The company will buy the building back for half of the purchase price when no longer needed. Look for the Med Cottages in the backyards of the Chicago area in about another year. Another very creative and useful idea to market to seniors and their families.

I am always amazed at the new and creative products being designed and marketed to the elderly.  The aging field is burgeoning daily and it is and has been an honor to work in such an exciting industry.

Marla Levie, BSW, MA, President and Founder of Focus on Aging, has successfully been providing marketing consulting, social media and recruiting services to the elder care market and to other service-related professions in the Chicago area for over 20 years. Use the contact tab to email Marla for additional information about her services.

Set this easy resolution for yourself: Make sure your LinkedIn profile is current for 2012!

Here are a few things you can do to make sure you’re putting your best foot forward on the Internet’s most popular business networking site. The beginning of the year is a great time to do this, and it’ll only take a few minutes.

1. Make sure your picture is current and professional

The first thing that will catch visitors’ eyes is your picture. Is it the picture you want everyone to see? Make sure that it’s up-to-date. If your picture is more than a year or two old, perhaps you should take a new one. Be sure that you’re dressed appropriately for your field, and frame the picture so that it’s engaging and obvious that it’s you. No children or spouses half-cropped out of the picture! Neat and professional is best.

2. Tidy up your profile

Be sure that the information you are providing in the content of your LinkedIn page reflects all the important things you’ve done in 2011, and uses all the important words so you can be found if someone is doing a search.  An out-of-date profile with old information, could suggest to the reader that you haven’t done anything noteworthy recently. Be sure that it is current with all relevent keywords in your industy.

Now is a great time to take these quick clean-up measures to be sure that your LinkedIn is updated and ready to help you do business!

Marla Levie, BSW, MA, President and Founder of Focus on Aging, has successfully been providing marketing consulting, social media and recruiting services to the elder care market and to other service-related professions in the Chicago area for over 20 years. Use the contact tab to email Marla for additional information about her services.

The result of my study…the members of my family, both younger and older, agreed that Twitter is a great way for a customer to be heard and an even better way for a business to retain a customer.  The younger generation thought it was humorous that a company would even see the Twitter posts.   Those over 65 reminisced about writing letters addressed to “To Whom It May Concern”.  Then, thinking about Jeff Lerner’s story, it clicked for all of us.  Twitter is the new, faster way to send a “To Whom It May Concern” letter, and at the same time Twitter has become a customer service solution for many businesses across the nation.

As an elder care marketing company in Chicago, we have seen a huge increase in the number of businesses developing a presence in social media. Companies are making major efforts to increase their user base and are marketing to customers in a new way.  However, many businesses have not caught on to the opportunity of using social media as a customer service tool.    This survey by Market Tools paints a dismal picture.  Only 12 percent of businesses are taking advantage of Twitter for customer service (slightly more use Facebook at 23 percent).

Social media can be the perfect way to develop a true relationship with customers.  If customers are spending their money and taking the time to shop at a business, they want to be appreciated. Businesses are missing out on the opportunity to make a new connection with consumers. This means potentially losing out on the possibility of huge customer retention and increases in customer loyalty. Do you plan to follow Dunkin’ Donuts example and implement a customer service campaign using social media?

Marla Levie, BSW, MA, President and Founder of Focus on Aging, has successfully been providing marketing consulting, social media and recruiting services to the elder care market and to other service-related professions in the Chicago area for over 20 years. Use the contact tab to email Marla for additional information about her services.

My study began by sharing a recent post by Jeff Lerner about his Twitter experience. Jeff had visited Dunkin Donuts just as he normally does in the mornings. But rather than enjoying his nice hot cup of coffee, it ended up all over him and his new shiny car – due to the drive  through employee not paying attention and securely placing the lid on his coffee cup. Not being the drama queen that some people would be and going after some crazy lawsuit, he simply tweeted about the incident and his frustration  (as seen below).

Tweet about Dunkin Donuts

That was that. He got it off his chest and was well prepared to go on about his day. But then something unexpected happened. Within a few minutes @DunkinDonuts was following him on Twitter. Then almost immediately they sent him a direct message to find out which of the  Dunkin Donuts stores this incident had taken place at. Guess what? They sent him a $10 gift card right to his door the following week.

As a marketing professional, this story makes me think how immediate social media can be and they value that provides to customer service.  But it’s not just big companies taking advantage of the real-time connection that Twitter can provide them for keeping customers happy. You can even find small local businesses doing the same. This is something that every business should at least be trying to learn. Being able to instantly pick up on bad customer service incidents can dramatically increase customer loyalty if it’s handled quickly and properly. Most people don’t really expect that a business will go out of their way to make them happy.  The sad truth is that many don’t.

You might be wondering the result of my study and why I chose the title of this blog. For the answer, you will have to check my next blog right after the New Year, Social Media: To Whom It May Concern, Part 2.

Marla Levie, BSW, MA, President and Founder of Focus on Aging, has successfully been providing marketing consulting, social media and recruiting services to the elder care market and to other service-related professions in the Chicago area for over 20 years. Use the contact tab to email Marla for additional information about her services.

Singh’s philosophy and that of Kundalini practitioners is that those who practice Kundalini on a regular basis can prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.  In my many years working in the field of aging, both as a social worker and as an elder care marketer, I had never heard anyone make these claims about Alzheimer’s disease.  As soon as I arrived back to Chicago, I Googled this concept, and found information to support his comment.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an irreversible, progressive disorder in which neurons (brain cells) deteriorate resulting in the loss of cognitive (thought) functions, primarily memory, judgment, reasoning, movement, coordination, and pattern recognition.  In advanced stages of the disease, all memory and mental functioning may be lost.

Kundalini yoga is one of many traditions of yoga that share common roots in ancient Indian philosophy.  It is comprehensive in that it combines physical poses with breath control exercises, chanting (mantras), meditations, prayer, visualizations, and guided relaxation. Breathing exercises are an important part of Kundalini yoga.

According to health24.com, there is some evidence from studies with healthy volunteers that use of certain breathing techniques (such as breathing solely through one nostril or the other) may improve different aspects of cognitive functioning and should be used as an integrative therapy.

Of course, this theory is not clinically proven, and they continue to warn that more studies are needed to determine if these techniques can reliably be used to improve cognitive function and possibly aid in treating cognitive and nervous system disorders.

This philosophy was of interest to me as someone who has studied Alzheimer’s disease from the early days when it was called senility, then organic brain syndrome (OBS), and now dementia.  I can’t know if Kundalini yoga prevents or delays AD, but I do know that for me, it has lowered my stress level and I will continue to practice!

Marla Levie, BSW, MA, President and Founder of Focus on Aging, has successfully been providing marketing consulting, social media and recruiting services to the elder care market and to other service-related professions in the Chicago area for over 20 years. Use the contact tab to email Marla for additional information about her services.

I just returned from, a wonderful week  in Ixtapan de la Sal, Mexico with a great group of women. Many of my fellow travelers also work in the field of aging and provide social work and marketing to seniors. I was looking forward to fun, rest and relaxation; which I certainly received, but along the way, I picked up several observations from the elderly who live there. Of course, I didn’t put down my elder care marketing hat, even far away from Chicago – which, by the way, is one of my favorite rules as an elder care marketer. Always keep that hat on!  And always “Focus on Aging” – there is always so much to continually learn.

When exploring the little mountain town of Ixtapan de la Sal, I noticed so many families of several generations walking together, working together, and simply hanging out together. One of my favorite pastimes in Spanish speaking countries is to talk to the locals in their own language as I speak Spanish. In the Sunday market, despite an obvious abundance of poverty, there remained a refreshing charm and friendly  and proud people.  The elders I spoke to had lived there all their life and were proud to show off their homemade wares and beautiful fresh fruits and vegetables. The local beekeeper gave details of how he transforms his honey into homemade lotions and sweets. There was positive energy and contentment surrounding us, along with lively music and children’s laughter. All those I spoke to told me that they are  happy, surrounded by their family and friends. They live a hard simple life, but had big smiles on their faces. I thought of my busy life back home, and remembered that there is something to be said about a simple life and making time for friends and family. And, especially reaching out to the elderly who live alone, are isolated and don’t live around the corner from a local zocalo (town center) to have easy and quality social interaction.

Every day, I took a Kundalini Yoga class. The teacher (guru) had some very interesting theories about Kundalini Yoga and the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease, which I will share in my next post.

Marla Levie, BSW, MA, President and Founder of Focus on Aging, has successfully been providing marketing consulting, social media and recruiting services to the elder care market and to other service-related professions in the Chicago area for over 20 years. Use the contact tab to email Marla for additional information about her services.

Can we Retire in this Economy?

It doesn’t take much to tell that times are tough these days. A quick glance through the news will show you that the economy is ailing and job growth is limited. Few people realize that the way seniors interact with the economic climate is a bellwether for the economy’s overall health.

As Jason Alderman points out in the Huffington Post, a key economic indicator is how many people are postponing retirement. Over 22 million people have decided to continue working past 55, and nearly a third of all workers in that age group expect to continue working past 70 or never retire! Alderman suggests a number of factors behind this trend: financial issues cause people to deplete their retirement savings to pay the bills, and decreasing home values mean people have less value in their equity than they expected, to name a few. As early as 2009, a U.S. Senate report noticed a retirement trend of older Americans continuing to work.

Naturally, some retirement-age workers have been affected by the recession differently than others. Retirement trends tend to vary from occupation to occupation. The Society for Human Resource Management points out that workers with well-defined pension plans– like government workers– are less likely to put off their retirement than others.

The trend is an important one to take notice of, as it has broad effects both on the elder care market and the U.S. economy as a whole. Retirement is a major life change, and along with it comes a broad array of changes in market activity. Retirees often have more leisure time but a modified income structure with which to enjoy that time. But as more and more Americans of retirement age make the decision not to retire, it will be important for care providers and all those marketing themselves to seniors to adapt to these new trends. Outreach tailored to seniors who will still need care, but perhaps on a different schedule, will be crucial to keeping up with the times.

Marla Levie, BSW, MA, President and Founder of Focus on Aging, has successfully been providing marketing consulting, social media and recruiting services to the elder care market and to other service-related professions in the Chicago area for over 20 years. Use the contact tab to email Marla for additional information about her services.

Mature Facebook users are substantially more likely to click on ads than their younger counterparts! A recent study analyzing over 50 million data points discovered that Facebook users over 50 years old are nearly 30% more likely to click on an ad than users aged 18-29. For women in particular, that number is even higher!

The study analyzed one of the central measurements of social media advertising: the click-through rate. Traditional Internet advertising puts a heavy emphasis on the click-through rate, as that determines how likely a user is to check out your business. Younger users, though less likely to click on an ad, are plugged into a newer form of social media advertising– the “like” button.

This study confirms what social media mavens like myself have known for quite some time: the Internet isn’t just for kids! It’s true that the best approach is a holistic marketing campaign covering a wide range of outreach (direct mailing, organizing targeted events, local advertising, etc.). It is still incredibly important to know that you can reach senior citizens and the over 50 set on the web. As this study shows, sometimes they’re easier to reach on the Internet than the youngsters!

Marla Levie, BSW, MA, President and Founder of Focus on Aging, has successfully been providing marketing consulting, social media and recruiting services to the elder care market and to other service-related professions in the Chicago area for over 20 years. Use the contact tab to email Marla for additional information about her services.

Cosmetic Surgeon at work

It’s no secret that the Baby Boomer generation is getting older. As an economically powerful demographic, the Boomers command the attention of researchers, manufacturers, and marketers. As this large consumer group continues to face the prospect of aging, various industries have focused much effort on selling anti-aging products. The U.S. market for anti-aging products is over $80 billion annually. Included in that category are a broad array of products and services, ranging from medicines to diet plans to vitamins to surgery. The anti-aging market even has its own professional association: the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine.

A quick glance at some of the anti-aging advertisements reveals that these anti-aging solutions are designed to make people look younger, rather than to live longer. One particular trend is the upswing in cosmetic surgery among the elderly. Another is the sale of diet plans and hormones to help restore youth. Of course, Botox has entered the general public’s vocabulary in recent years.

Unfortunately, along with the rush to satisfy the Boomer set’s demand for new products, a number of unhealthy trends have arrived. Many popular supplements have not received approval from the FDA. Many surgical procedures carry extra risk for seniors. With such an emphasis on reversing the physically apparent effects of aging, overall bodily health may be overlooked.

Self-image is a crucial part of how one interacts with the world at all stages of life, and especially so during the aging process. But Boomers and those seeking to satisfy their market demands might want to keep in mind that there are other parts of the mind and body to tend to during the aging process. Healthy aging is a holistic experience: emphasizing only the outward physical effects of aging ignores the emotional, spiritual, and internal physical aspects of overall health. Everyone needs to keep all of them in mind!

Marla Levie, BSW, MA, President and Founder of Focus on Aging, has successfully been providing marketing consulting, social media and recruiting services to the elder care market and to other service-related professions in the Chicago area for over 20 years. Use the contact tab to email Marla for additional information about her services.

Will the Debt Ceiling Affect Seniors?

This August, Congress reached a deal to increase the debt ceiling. The deal included two phases of budget cuts: first, Congress immediately cut a certain amount of spending, and second, Congress selected a “super-committee” to organize more budget cuts by November. If the “super-committee” fails to reach an agreement, automatic cuts are triggered, and many popular government programs and national defense spending will be taken away.

Seniors have an especially large stake in this second phase of the debt ceiling. Between Medicare and Social Security, millions of seniors feel the effects of politics in their everyday lives. Checks from the federal government are often a major part of essential purchases for seniors across the country. The “super-committee’s” determination of what federal programs to cut stands to affect seniors on a very deep level.

If the “super-committee” fails to reach a decision, the automatic cuts take away a good deal from seniors. The cuts include $130 to $150 billion to Medicare.

Though those numbers sound daunting, some suggest that the automatic cuts might be better than any compromise the “super-committee” comes up with. Kaiser Health News, for example, suggested that the automatic cut would be the “lesser of two evils.” That article argues that committee members might end up deciding even more cuts to Medicare are in order.

As the “super-committee’s” work progresses, it will be important for all those involved in senior care– from health providers to seniors themselves– to keep current. The way seniors access healthcare and other basic goods and services may change drastically!

Marla Levie, BSW, MA, President and Founder of Focus on Aging, has successfully been providing marketing consulting, social media and recruiting services to the elder care market and to other service-related professions in the Chicago area for over 20 years. Use the contact tab to email Marla for additional information about her services.