TEMPE, Ariz. (Oct. 10, 2018) – Seniors are not the only ones involved in the decision-making process of finding a retirement community; their Adult Child Influencers (ACIs) are often involved in the research and sales process. There are areas of more/less importance to the two audiences, according to a new study from the market research team at Zion & Zion, a top-ranked, full-service marketing agency. The full report is available here.
The findings of the report have implications for managing and marketing senior living communities:
- While 35% of seniors believe access to healthcare is important when choosing a retirement community, 56% of their adult children view it as critical—a very significant 21% difference.
- Similarly, 44% of seniors say that security and safety are important, but their adult children came in much higher at 57%—a statistically meaningful 13% difference.
- Off-property elements are also of noteworthy consideration: 46% of seniors think that nearby businesses (such as banks, shopping, and grocery stores) are important considerations, but only 38% of their adult children see this as worthy of consideration.
This study, conducted by the Zion & Zion market research team, was based on a nationwide survey of 1,021 seniors (age 75+) and their ACIs investigating what features and amenities each group considers important when selecting a senior living community, and what conclusions can be made about the difference in marketing to each audience. Authors of the study are Aric Zion, MS; Morgan Gardea; Peter Juergens, MA; and Thomas Hollmann, MBA, PhD.