The Power of Positive Aging

Aging Stereotypes - The Flip Side of the Coin

For years, I have been speaking and writing about the negative impact of aging stereotypes and the damage they can do if they become self-fulfilling prophecies. In other words, if you believe old people all lose their memories, become less productive and dependent, you increase the probability that will be your future.

The good news is that recent research has finally documented that positive stereotype reinforcement may be just as powerful as negative stereotypes. In a study published in the May 2013 issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Indiana University psychologists found that

    Women's performance on math tests did not suffer as researchers had expected, even when the     typical "women are bad at math" stereotype was invoked, as long as a positive stereotype (say,     college students are good at math) was presented at the same time. In this case, that means that     the aged are likely to have better-functioning memories when they are told, for instance, that     older people "have more experience" or "have seen it all before….The power of stereotype is so     strong that it can overwhelm many of our other traits, which means that what you learned in     kindergarten is true: you're only as good as you expect to be. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1900261,00.html#ixzz2TwIMXtpu

While current ‘facts’ indicate that as you age, you will begin to lose your capacity for working memory, just as you will lose muscle mass, eye strength and balance. However, recent research also documents that much of this decline can be minimized by adopting a more prevention oriented lifestyle that includes diet and fitness for the mind and body.

We now have valid research documenting what most of those subscribing to positive/successful/ active aging already knew: “People can be persuaded to believe either positive or negative stereotypes, and it can have a real impact on their performance in life.”

To paraphrase the author, you can apply this to your own older relatives. Never miss an opportunity when someone says they had a ‘senior moment’, that he/she's always the one who remembers the grandkids' birthdays or who recalls all the measurements in family recipes. Maybe such a little compliment will help them battle the years of negative stereotyping to which they have been subjected.  

Inclusionary Marketing...a new senior housing paradigm

Whether condos, cruises, autos or health care services, future products will have to appeal to consumer’s hearts; not just their heads. While I cannot paint a clear picture of the future of planned communities for older adults, I can state with absolute certainty that the answers to successfully marketing and operating communities will not be found in the rear view mirror. Maintaining the status quo, following industry standards, getting back to the basics, doing it the way it has always been done are all recipes for future disaster. Rather than doing what’s always been done; it is time to consider the future as a blank canvas rather than a paint by-the-numbers kit.

When it comes to marketing, not much has changed in the past couple of decades. Ads still hype the features and benefits of “one of a kind” homes where “new” friends, “quality of life” and “peace of mind” are assured. Too many marketing office personnel still carry titles like “retirement or sales counselor”. Too many brochures reinforce stereotypes by using exclusionary terms such as senior, nursing center, retirement, etc. Too many health care centers still operate using the medical model with its focus on structure, rules and learned dependency. We need to realize that the mind is not processing your words you use, but the images the reader’s life experience has come to associate with those words. Change, it would seem, is everywhere but aging services.

Oh sure, models used are getting ‘a little’ older…even more realistic in many ads. Communities feature more common space, fitness equipment and preventive health programs. However, it takes a unique team to successfully install a new paradigm. That change team that will begin by repositioning “retirement” communities as a unique brand of planned community where the emphasis is on “health” – not care. Holistic health of the body, mind and human spirit.

I’m not talking about a “facility” run by a bureaucratic rules-oriented Executive Director; but an empowered “community” where members embrace lifelong personal growth; not one that focuses on a calendar filled “activities.” Communities should be places that foster the enrichment of body, mind and spirit regardless of the healthcare setbacks. Operational teams must come to recognize that a positive culture is developed from the inside out and all systems are interconnected.

The challenge is obviously a leadership and operational as well as a marketing dilemma, but one thing at a time. To create a paradigm-busting team, organization will need to concentrate on both the team’s perceptions, understanding of later life values and the tools available to them.

Recruiting or Educating a Team. Teamwork is a “principle-based” value. If you value teamwork, you must therefore be willing to commit to the principles that foster the growth of teams. Simply stated, principles are guidelines for human conduct (the marketing process) that are proven to have enduring, permanent value. Principles are fundamental. When applied to marketing, your principles should be a reflection of the consumer segment you are serving – those principles are:

• Fairness…this incorporates equity, trust and will ultimately aid in establishing value for your offering.
• Integrity & honesty…these principles are critical to building relationships with current customers, prospects and associates.
• Service/altruism…this relates to the need that most of us have to give something back to our community, family and friends.
• Quality…this must be seen through the eyes of the consumer. It is not a manual or a policy. It is a philosophy of putting both internal and external stakeholders first.
• Trust…the belief in a shared vision of the most positive and productive future possible for all stakeholders.

One statistic that has always confounded me is that we hire 80 % of all personnel based on their aptitude, and terminate a like percentage because of their attitude. Wouldn’t it make more sense to focus on attitude and values in the hiring process and train for aptitude? If we are attempting to create a unique marketing team, we must approach the challenge with a new focus. Is experience that no longer seems relevant valuable? How do you assess attitude? How do you assess one’s values?

First, you should be interested explore how one “feels” about their own aging. Are they looking forward to their next major birthday – 30, 40, 50 or 60? If a person is not comfortable with their own aging, it will take them longer to build rapport with older customers. Next, you might ask them to share any experiences that shaped their perceptions of the aging process. Have applicants share their experiences around or with older people while growing up, in their professional lives or through community service. If they describe positive experiences, they will intuitively do well. On the other hand, if they fear their own aging, they may be victims of decades of stereotyping and do poorly regardless of traditional sales training.

Second is what Tom Peters would call a blinding flash of the obvious. What was your “very first impression” of a marketing candidate? Did they smile naturally? Did they make eye contact and offer a firm, warm handshake? Remember, if someone does not smile naturally; it is not a skill you can teach. Once on the job, they will have 4 seconds to make a first impression; and consumers will not differentiate between the sales person and the offering.

Finally, ask about a potential team member’s values, beliefs and vision of an aging America. Do their values mirror shared purpose of your community/organization or merely polish the medical model of the past? You may even want to validate the applicant's responses by asking for the names of a couple of older adults with whom they have very positive relationships that could provide either personal or professional character references. Then follow-up by asking those references to describe their relationship...is it an analog (exact representation) of the applicant's perception.

Tools. Today’s older consumer is better educated, healthier, wealthier, more involved, more self-directed and will expect service in return for the monthly fees in a community or dollars paid for a product or service. We can no longer fall back on the scientific model of logic, verifiable experiences and operation certainties. They are all traps that prevent us from looking to the future. It is not enough to “tweak” current systems, procedures and concepts. We need to reinvent them.

If marketing personnel will just take time to listen, the best tool available is the mind and experiences of both current community members and prospects. We need to learn to reach beyond the stereotypes in order to prevent the self-fulfilling prophecies of aging from dictating the lives of those we serve. We need to tear down marketing hierarchies and involve the consumers in the marketing and governance of their communities. Each prospect has a story to tell. The job of the marketing representative is to fit your offering into their story.

With the advent of the Internet, marketing has shifted from monologue to dialogue…the consumer has regained control. They can comparative shop on line from the privacy of their home. They can communicate with peers throughout the United States; and share their experiences and perceptions – good and bad. It is not enough to have an attractive web site and colorful image brochure. You must create an experience that encourages visitors to return…one that educates and informs as well as promotes.

Even before a community is operational, community members are your most effective marketing resource. They will not separate how they are treated, involved and respected during pre-construction from future community life. Of course, a marketing committee is a very good place to start. Committee members can serve as an excellent sounding board, comparison shoppers and help guide overall positioning strategy. Even Resident Council, (I prefer Partnership Council), can be a valuable resource considering their vested interest in future community success. The key is to stop selling and start listening.

Of course, collateral material, traditional print and direct mail advertising are still workhorses in generating prospects. They should be developed using an emotional, story- telling approach as much as possible. The appeal must be to the heart as well as the head. Since the human mind has an irrepressible urge to complete an unfinished picture, marketers must learn to use that knowledge to their advantage. For example, I have used for all life can be as a positioning tag line in order to leverage the consumer’s creativity. This allows the consumer and not the marketer to create an image that fits their desires, needs and aspirations.

The success of the Eden Alternative/Greenhouse (household model) is built upon the same philosophy that makes Ritz Carlton Hotels unique – letting the person closest to the problem solve it or as management does unto staff; so staff shall do unto management. There is no better team building principle upon which to build a positive culture. If the marketing team shares a common vision, has an intuitive sense of the needs and values of older consumers, makes a positive first impression and practices the art of listening to understand rather than to overcome objections, they will succeed.

Each consumer is as different as fingerprints, and should be approached accordingly. Prospects should therefore be approached with the knowledge that they know what it will take to “sell” them. Marketers just need to learn to go where the consumer is rather than expecting them to come to where the marketer wants them to be…that’s inclusionary marketing. It is powerful force if you let it work for you. As Ben Kenobi advised Luke in the Star Wars movies, “just let go and let the force be with you”.   

The Importance of a Positive Aging Self-ImageI

I was recently hired to deliver two presentations for Welcyon…Fitness After 50 in Minneapolis. The topic was “Boost Your Brain Power,” and a portion of the presentation was spent sharing the results of research on neuroplasticity (how the brain can rewire itself) and details on the benefits of exercise to both physical and brain fitness. Over 150 current and prospective club members were both interested and engaged in the topic, but were more interested in the reality that memory loss is not a given.

In addition to scientific research results, I shared the damage that can be done by aging stereotypes if they become self-fulfilling prophecies. We now know that memory loss is the number one fear of adults over age 65, and all too many blindly accept that memory loss is just a part of aging. Once accepted, that belief can accelerate what they fear. I opened by asking how many frequently use the term senior moment and a majority in both locations responded in the affirmative. Of course, I advised them all to cease and desist.

Thanks to Harvard researcher Ellen Langer PhD and Yale’s Becca Levy PhD, we now know that a negative aging self-image can contribute to both memory loss and premature aging. In spite of a growing body of evidence on the benefits positive/active aging programs, our society chooses to spend more time and tax money focusing on the negatives of the growing aging population rather than the positives. We have never had this much wisdom available for problem solving; yet we aren’t finding ways to use it.

While preventing Alzheimer’s disease is a worthy goal, so is educating an aging population on the benefits of exercise, brain fitness and how it may be possible to delay memory loss by building what is known as a cognitive reserve. Success in this area alone would provide a huge return on investment. Doesn’t it make more sense to promote activities and information that could prevent or delay future memory loss than worrying how to pay for future healthcare?

Following the presentations, numerous attendees offered congratulations and said they felt renewed and more in control of their own future following the presentation. Not a bad return on a 45 minute investment of their time. They also wondered why more organizations are not sponsoring professional presentations of this type to share the message of positive aging. I encourage them to become evangelists and preach the power positive aging.   

Understanding and Applying Ageless Marketing Principles

Amazing! It took the 65^th birthday parties of a few thousand leading edge baby boomers for corporate America and the mainstream media to wake up to the fact that the median age of adults in the US increased by about a decade while they weren't looking.  Today, articlesand conference topics on boomers are proliferating, but understanding the underlying values of an aging population has a long way to go. 

Forexample, are Boomers old people? What do we call them?  Are they like other older people? What do they want?  How do we get their attention?  As the market potential becomes more and more obvious, consultants, authors and trainers are pontificating on how to capture this elusive, boomer beast.

If you are searching for four easy steps or six simple typologies that will insure success in the aging marketplace, you’ll not find them here. Why? Because, the typical boomer, like the typical senior, is as much like other boomers as a snowflake is typical. Consumers become more dissimilar as they age not more alike, although they share common ‘gut level’ values.

Since so few have successfully targeted the mature consumer, evidence on what works best is limited. In the last ten years, some have explored the mature market using traditional methods only to conclude there was little potential because consumers failed to respond. They blamed neither the messenger nor the message, but the intended recipient. Likewise, millions of dollars have been spent teaching aging sensitivity without first developing an empathetic understanding of the consumer and their decision-making processes. Unfortunately, this sensitivity training all too often reinforces rather than correcting stereotypes.

As businesses continue to track the elusive elder beast, there will no doubt have varying degrees of success. To increase the probability of success, one must first abandon the approaches that worked so well in yesterday’s youth market; and adopt an ageless approach more likely to appeal to a maturing consumer base while not alienating other segments.

Begin by projecting a positive, mindful image of aging. This positive image should underlie all communications, collateral material, and PowerPoint presentations. Consumers tend to select products/services that reflect images of what they want to be not what they are, and this applies to older adults as well. While physiological declines are a part of life, older consumers “feel” anywhere from 15 to 25 years younger than their biological age, which doesn’t mean they think they “look” 15 to 25 years younger. Therefore, when models are too young or engaged in extreme sports, the consumer simply dismisses the message. The key is realistic people in real world activities.

Advertising and communications should focus on health and well being; being productive, the importance of autonomy and empowerment, the importance of relationships and being responsive to the wants, needs and aspirations of targeted consumers and stakeholders. Remember that a prospective customer’s mind will consider your initial message for from .2 to .8 of one second (your cognitive window of opportunity). Not much time to make a first impression – that is why every word and image is so important.

Words Matter

To keep our conscious minds from being overloaded with unimportant information, our brains conduct what might be called message triage. Like an emergency room prioritizing patients according to severity; their injury or illness, the brain sorts through billions of bits of information each moment to select information for the conscious mind to think about.

The brain does not process words; it processes pictures and sensory data in context with the circumstances. If there is a perception that "senior" means old, frail, dependent, bingo player, or other traditional stereotypes, the mind of a the targeted customer may "exclude" whatever is associated with that word from conscious consideration if they do not view themselves as fitting the stereotype. For example, a stereotype that frustrates marketer in the senior living industry is the common perception that “retirement community” means a place to go when your health is failing…a place for the frail – the elderly.

A targeted consumer’s eyes and ears may detect what you are trying to tell them, but unless their brains sense personal relevance, little of the message content will reach their conscious mind. Your challenge therefore is creating messages that resonate with the needs and interests of the prospect in order to make it past the mental screening process.

You can begin the slow change process by sensitizing all team members to the power, both positive and negative, of the words we use. All personnel should be educated on the importance of using more inclusionary terms while avoiding the use of exclusionary terms (words shrouded in stereotypes that could be perceived negatively). Inclusionary/conditional terms allow a people to screen a message based on their expectations, aspirations, needs and life experience rather than preexisting stereotypes. Inclusionary terms are simply more likely to be positively perceived than the terms traditionally used in our industry.  A few examples follow:

• Residents – This is a very impersonal reference to those calling “retirement communities, nursing homes or assisted living facilities” home. While it may be acceptable during a board meeting or team meeting, the use of terms like depositor, client, resident, should generally be eliminated from marketing materials and correspondence.  Instead, try community members, neighbors; even older adults is preferable. As with many terms, the context in which they are used determines the appropriateness.
• Seniors, senior citizens, and elderly – the same principle applies as with residents. First, in conversation use the person’s name; in communications try customers, people, citizens or similar terms of inclusion.
• Titles – avoid incorporating stereotypes into titles, like “retirement counselor” or “activity director”. Instead, have some fun with terms like “planning advisor” or “events coordinator”. Instead of receptionist, try “director of first impressions”.
• Retirement – terms like “retirement” that should only be used to establish a context. Retirement is basically the act of leaving a full-time career or leaving one profession after years of work…it is not an accurate descriptor of a life stage. Where “retirement” once lasted only a few years, individuals now enjoy two or three or more decades of productive life after age 65, considered traditional retirement age. Since retirement suffers from many of the inappropriate by common aging stereotypes, avoid using it if at all possible while also explaining why. 

These are just a few examples of how the use of exclusionary terms could be costing you business, donations and profits. Even if 70% of your prospective customers have no problem with the term senior citizen, but 30% do; are you willing to give up 1/3 of the market on purpose?

By mindfully pursuing an ageless approach to marketing communications, perhaps the general public can come to view later life as something to look forward to and enjoy. It is time to pursue a truly ageless society/community. One that celebrates the uniqueness and worth of each individual regardless of their age or infirmity. It is time to return to a time in which wisdom and life experience of older adults is not just appreciated but revered.

Tapping the Power of Positive Aging

"No one becomes old until regrets take the place of dreams."
John Barrymore

Imagine spending your professional life as an attorney. You have gained considerable wisdom and insight in over 40 years of practice. Now imagine you have just “retire” from your former firm and are attending an annual meeting of the Chamber of Commerce when you are approached and asked, “Didn’t you used to be an attorney?” This scene is no doubt repeated daily throughout America. People work hard to reach retirement; and gained considerable wisdom and expertise that could benefit other businesses and organizations; only to be stripped of significance banished to the ranks of the “used-to-be.”

Over the past five decades, “aging” has developed a generally negative image thanks to media stereotyping, situation comedies and late night talk shows. Negative portrayals have left Americans with the general perception that later life is primarily a time of loss and decline. While gaining some positive ground in the last few years, the portrayal of forgetful, doddering, confused “seniors” is all too common. The goal of this blog is continue correcting those misconceptions and battle ageism.

The act of “retiring” can have a profound impact on one’s significance, which may influence their future direction and life satisfaction. When one’s former position and recognition are lost, there may no longer be the opportunity for challenge and satisfaction. For many, physical concerns regarding appearance, peak performance and memory begin to color their attitudes toward themselves and their personal value. They mindlessly accept the stereotypes and perceptions of aging, as a time of decline; and begin a downhill slide. Their beliefs about aging and “retirement” all too often become self-fulfilling prophecies.

On the other hand, later life can be a positive and joyful experience…an adventure in personal growth and fulfillment for those who mindfully commit to aging successfully. The pursuit of successful aging requires one to develop a broader set of satisfying activities, relationships, and responsibilities that extend well beyond the workplace. After all, retirement is not a life stage. It is simply an act that takes a couple of minutes.

Unfortunately, most of us do not reconsider what we mindlessly accepted as fact earlier in life as we poked fun at “old fogies” or referred to memory lapses as “senior moments.” Many people still view retirement as either a time to play and be entertained or a time to begin the “downhill slide.” Even our institutions and support agencies often unwittingly but flagrantly encourage dependency. Sadly, the more help people are given; the more they will come to need.

Now the Good News! Positive Aging is a growing movement to redefine “aging” for what it is – the progression of growth from a simple child to a complex adult; and to redefine “retirement” as a time of growth, involvement, connectedness and contribution. .

By mindfully pursuing positive aging, later life may again come to be perceived as the crown jewel of the human experience. Celebrating positive aging will give rise to a culture that appreciates the uniqueness and worth of each individual.

Madison Avenue Overlooks Boomers…Really?

In advising Fortune 100 Companies, Nielsen’s NeuroFocus Company has discovered
what David B. Wolfe and those of us he mentored have been saying for 20
years…older brains process information differently. In a recent press article
in Convenience Store News, this Berkeley, Calif.-based agency that specializes in
neurological testing for consumer research provided the following advice in a bullet point: "Baby Boomers are a segment often overlooked by Madison Avenue, yet they continue to hold strong and influential in terms of purchasing power. According to the latest statistics, boomers are
on track to spend $7 billion online this year alone. By understanding what triggers certain emotions with this consumer group, marketers can adapt their messaging in order to communicate more effectively.

Really, “Baby Boomers are a segment often overlooked by Madison Avenue.” Madison Avenue has spent the past 45 year paying attention to little else. What they have and continue to overlook is “older adults.” Like it or not, the Baby Boom is getting older and are embracing the same values help by both the Greatest and Eisenhower Generations and those who came before. While Convenience Store News not the Wall Street Journal or New York Times, this blind fascination with Boomers is nothing more that the ageism that has plagued the Madison Avenue for years.

While the report clearly shares solid brain science, an ageist bias is evident throughout. Some examples:

• Brands and marketing executives can better understand the most effective way to reach the Baby Boomer demographic – in fact the research is about older brains and minds not just Baby Boomers who currently range in age from 66 to 48.
• The boomer generation doesn't want to feel old or be treated as such – nor do those ages 65 and older. Using stereotypical language such as senior, elderly, senior citizen and even Baby
  Boomer is a turn off to most older adults.
• Boomer brains process information differently, as they may ignore messages and images that are too cluttered, or scene changes that are too rapid – again this statement applies generally to all adults over the age of 45, which includes all boomers.

What this article seems to be saying is that the businesses served by Madison Avenue remain interested in only those under age 65. They have convinced themselves that the Boomer generation will develop a unique set of values in later life rather than embracing the values older adults have been embracing for over 200 years according to developmental psychologists. This is just yesterday’s ageism with a new coat of Boomer paint…and it will not wear well in the coming years.

Rather than using the aging of the Baby Boom to battle ageism, self-serving companies and consultants are lining their pockets by convincing clients that Baby Boomers are an anachronism. We should not lose this opportunity to advance the principles of successful and active aging by embracing later life principles in marketing communications materials. If we can change the paradigm, we will not only improve the quality, and quite possibly quantity, of later life, we can help lower health care costs while benefitting from the wisdom of growing majority of older adults.

 

Code of the West (Pretty Good Rules for Effectiveness)

As I sit in my office and listen to the news about all the challenges and problems we face on the local, state, national and international scene, I keep thinking much of this could be overcome by embracing a simple Code of Behavior to guide our actions. This came to me as I reflected on last week’s visit to the Black Hills and listening to Lakota healer, Gene Thin Elk.  While many did not abide by this code in dealing with our Native American brothers, the Code of the West seems to fit the bill quite nicely.

There have been thousands of business and self help books written in the last 50 years, but the Code offers all the wisdom one needs to live a better life, have a happier marriage, and be a better boss or employee. It is also a pretty good Code of Ethics for elected officials.

I am reminded of a story about Muriel Humphrey chiding Vice President Hubert Humphrey following a very long winded speech, “Dear to be immortal you do not have to be eternal.” Likewise, the Code offers 10 common sense guidelines for personal and professional success. I would love to hear from others about the power and wisdom in this simple book of rules.

1.    Live each day with courage - to me this simply means taking things as the come. Some days life sucks, but the sun comes up each morning…a brand new sun for a brand new day.

2.    Take pride in your work – To paraphrase Martin Luther King, “Even if your job is that of a street sweeper, do the job so that whoever passes can comment, there lives a street sweeper who does his job well.” This alone could revolutionize business in every sector.

3.    Always finish what you start – Whether it is keeping political promises, meeting deadlines, being committed to a marital partner, finishing your homework or whatever, you will be remembered as much by what you did not do as what you accomplished.

4.    Do what has to be done – We should outlaw expressions such as, “That’s not my job” and “That is not in my job description.” If it will help the business, keep peace in the family, help someone out or make them happy – just do it!

5.    Be tough, but fair – Making employees do what they promised to do, demanding perfection, setting high standards, and dismissing those who don’t comply with policies and procedures do not make you an SOB…it makes you a leader. One of the nicest compliments I ever received as a leader was from a man 30 years my senior was, “The SOB was fair and had a great operation.”

6.    When you make a promise, keep it. Having a job is promising to come to work on time and give 100% while you are there. This is as true for the President as it is for the street sweeper.

7.    Ride for the brand. My grandfather would not allow me to complain about my employer in his presence. When I did, he simply asked me if I was cashing their checks saying, “If you work for a man, work for him. Do it his way because he earned that right to lead. If you want to bad mouth him, quit and then feel free to say anything you want.”

8.    Talk less and say more. If you can learn to listen with your heart as well as your ears, you will discover you will understand as well as hear. As Mark Twain said, the difference between using the right or wrong word is like the difference between lightening and the lightning bug. Simply stated, don’t speak unless you have something to say.

9.    Remember that some things are not for sale. Loyalty is something that one must earn. You cannot buy any of the really important things in life: love, trust, faith, honesty, understanding, serenity or hope…and these are also principles that should never be up for sale.

10.    Know where to draw the line. We need to think win/win; not compromise. Compromise is lose/lose. The solutions that people really love are those that recognize the value of each person and seek to meet everyone’s needs. The solutions can be found if we have patience, understanding and creativity.

The New Ageism?

For the past few months, I have been debating myself about the impact of all the focus on Baby Boomers. On January 1, 2010, we entered what will be two decades where old consumers will outnumber those under 18 for the first time in history…not just those born between 1946 and 1964, but all age 50 plus adults. This is the moment many of us, who have been advocating for ageless marketing for the last 20 years, have been waiting to arrive. We were convinced the demographic reality would finally gain the attention of the main stream media, business magazines and policy makers.

Sadly this is not happening. Major media outlets, ad agencies, marketing strategists, and businesses continue to ignore the aging market to focus their attention almost exclusively on baby boomers as
if they were not aging at all but are some type of anomaly. This myopic fascination with boomers is probably not surprising since they have been the primary focus of business and advertising, directly or indirectly for over half a century.

This myopic focus on aging “Boomers” ignores the evidence that they are now embracing later life values rather than the materialistic, ego centered values that dominate life’s first two stages. Sure baby boomers shared some unique events and life challenges, as did every previous generation. The sheer size is what made baby boomers seem unique as this “pig in the python” demographic impacted each life stage as they aged. As a result, our sales and marketing strategies have all been designed to communicate with the 18 to 39 year old demographic that has driven advertising for over 30 years.

When Landon James coined the term Baby Boomer in his book, Great Expectations: America and Baby Boom in 1980, he was referring to a demographic phenomenon and how it would impact the country. I doubt he intended his use of the term baby boomer to be a life time label for 76 million people born over 18 years. Others such as Yankelovich Inc. in the 1960’s and author Sylvia Porter in 1951 had also used the term to describe this explosion. Unfortunately, the term baby boomer was popularized over the last couple of decades by the media, a few authors and self appointed “Baby Boom experts” as
totally different from all previous generations of older adults.

These experts have come up with some memorable slogans or positioning lines such as AARP’s 60 is the new 30 or This is not your father’s Oldsmobile. These campaigns failed as did the attempt by Ameriprise to evoke 60’s music and images to attract maturing investors. Like the AARP and Oldsmobile campaigns, Amerprise’s approach was a failure. As author and mature consumer behavioral specialist David B. Wolfe has stated on many occasions, “Either legions of researchers in adult development psychology have created a large body of bogus findings or nearly all of those who craft messages for older minds are hopelessly out of sync with the realities of maturation.” In other words, to succeed in an aging market place, companies would be well advised to learn about later life values, as should the agencies that serve them. Instead, it seems the current approach is to claim the Baby Boomers are just an extension of the youth culture; because that is what they know.

You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to understand that baby boomers will not all become older consumers at the same time or in the same way. Few were at Woodstock, lived in communes and protested the Viet Nam war. No doubt a like number listened to country music, went to church every Sunday and served in the military. This is not to imply that generational marketing or life stage
marketing focusing on either leading edge or trailing edge boomers does not work…depending on the product. The question is, “Why are we not embracing aging?” By focusing primarily on Boomers, we continue to ignore the older consumer as a powerful consumer group. In fact, it is the only demographic that will grow phenomenally in the next two decades...currently 10,000 adults turn
age 65 every day.

I have come to the conclusion that Boomer Marketing myopia is more than just a distraction; it is the latest form of ageism. “Experts” dodge the question with statements like; “Boomers are reinventing retirement” rather than admitting that “retirement,” as currently perceived, is an outdated concept…a holdover from the industrial age. There is no room for “retirement” in this maturing market where people can remain productive well into their 80’s and beyond. Since the media know, or think they know, how to market to boomers, they choose to simply ignore the reality of an aging market place. However, until we fully embrace both the challenges and the potential of an aging marketplace, we will not develop the new paradigms to guide future success in every sector. Clearly, this is not your Father’s market.

The worldviews, values and behavior of middle age and older adults reflect ebbing materialistic influences that dominate the aspirations of the young and that set the directions of commerce and culture for the last 50 years. Today, our culture is beginning to reflect the qualities of behavior Abraham Maslow made famous with the term self-actualization as people begin depending less on
materialistic sources for life satisfaction and more on experiential sources. Today’s older adult majority will not only change the rules of successful marketplace engagement, but will likely drive a transformation in business enterprises and government policy as well.

Battling ageism in every form should become a priority in the next two decades. We have made tremendous strides in the battles against sexism and racism, but continue to tolerate ageism in
multiple forms. As someone observed recently, “Telling a joke about minorities is called racist. Demeaning women is called sexist. Making fun of older people is called situation comedy.” Boomers will age much like the members of the Silent Generation and we need the combined numbers of all adults over age 50 to win the war against ageism. However, we can’t declare war on ageism until the
baby boom is viewed as a part of the aging of America rather than some aging anachronism.

An Incredible Legacy

On December 3, 2011, David B. Wolfe left this world early in the morning. For those that knew him or benefited from his writings, there is consensus that he left the world and the field of aging a much better place than he found it. For over three decades, David’s vision has guided thousands to more successful careers in senior living, marketing, financial services, aging services and so many other professions that his impact staggers the imagination. And by impact, I do not mean only those that knew and learned from him while he was living but the many that will continue to learn from his legacy.

When I first read Serving the Ageless Market, it was like this incredible man had lighted a pathway to success in an aging marketplace. What I had felt intuitively, David justified and explained with a solid foundation in research clearly explaining why a new marketing paradigm was needed. A client we had both served recommended that we meet because I was training on what worked, and David was consulting on what did not work. The client thought we might make a good team. That led to a phone call and a 3 hour meeting in the St. Louis airport at which David agreed to join me on a series of two day workshops on marketing to middle age and older adults. In reality, he was the teacher and I was the student.

That student/teacher relationship that began over 20 years ago blossomed into and incredible
friendship and gave birth to a “think tank” group of 50 professionals dedicated to preserving and expanding on David’s life work. Together we created a unique organization known as The Society that has become more of a circle of friends than a traditional professional organization. Following the workshops, we coined the term Developmental Relationship Marketing to describe a new approach to mature market communications that recognized lifestage changes. David continued to refine the theory while I focused on the practice of ageless marketing. I can’t imagine not having him as a mentor and sounding board in the coming years, but I am confident his spirit will continue to guide those of us that are committed to building on his legacy.

We frequently agonized how little money there was in being ahead of your time, but David’s vision of a more ageless society is slowly coming into focus. While it saddens me that he never received the recognition he so justly deserved, I know his impact is just now beginning to be recognized. At the recent 10^th Anniversary meeting of the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA) in Orlando, we issued awards to organizations for their positive aging/ageless approach to marketing communications materials and ICAA published recommended Communications Standards to guide those interested in improving their marketing materials. On December 6, several members of The Society will also be conducting workshops at the Positive Aging Conference hosted by Fielding University in Los Angeles; and David’s spirit will be with us.

David followed Serving with three more books: Ageless Marketing, Firms of Endearment,
and the soon to be published Brave New World View. For the past four years, David has been battling lung cancer while working on what he knew would be his final work. When he completed the last page on December 1, he called contributing author Mike Baumayr to his side and suggested they break out the champagne. He had a couple of sips and went to sleep never to truly awake…mission accomplished. Over the years, I have come to consider David, his wife Linda and youngest daughter Stephanie a part of my family and will cherish their continued friendship. Rest in peace my friend with the assurance that the members of The Society and the many others you have influenced are committed to carrying your message to anyone wise enough to listen.

Freedom to Choose

I just finished reading an article in AARP’s newsletter about diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease. As I anticipated, the meat of the article did not live up to the headline. Oh, there has been
progress in a doctor’s ability to identify if the brain has “plaques and tangles.” For years, it was hypnotized that these plaques and tangles were the cause of Alzheimer’s; however, science has yet to explain why others with plaques and tangles had no noticeable symptoms. As Dr. Peter Whitehouse points out in the Myth of Alzheimer’s, it is more than one thing and brain aging playsa role.

Of course, the drug companies hope they will eventually find the cure, or a preventative, in the form of a new drug. Big Pharma is cheered on by consumers who have come to look for magic
bullets to solve all their problems. Perhaps, if we focused as much time andmoney on non- pharmaceutical interventions and more time promoting whole body wellness, we could significantly improve the overall quality of life, and maybe improve cognitive well being for millions. For several decades, we have been replacing purpose with pills, which has resulted in an increasingly medicated older population while encouraging learned helplessness. In fact, all too often, interaction between drugs (both prescription and nonprescription) can produce
symptoms mistaken for Alzheimer’s or other problems.

As a proponent of the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, I learned that the ultimate human freedom is our freedom to choose. We can choose to be reactive or proactive; but it is up to us to make the choices. While we know that optimistic people outlive pessimists by over 7 years, this is seldom factored in when evaluating quality of life. We are too quick to blame others when in fact the only person controlling our feelings is us.

While it would be great if there were a pill that could prevent or delay the onset of dementia, there is an ever growing body of anecdotal evidence, much of which is supported by science, that a variety of activities and habits may delay the onset of dementia, improve processing speed and enhance one’s memory. We now know that what is good for the heart is good for the brain; but that is seldom mentioned in articles about the search for the cure.

Maybe we can’t prevent Alzheimer’s disease any more than we can prevent aging. However, like aging, there is a lot we can do to improve our quality of life and battle future memory loss just as we can battle diabetes, heart disease and lung problems with lifestyle changes. At NeoCORTA (www.neocorta.com), we have developed self-evaluation tools to help users identify and understand their risk factor and provide customized plans to improve cognitive well being, but a person must want to take charge of their future to benefit from those plans and
change their behavior accordingly.

I have come to believe that positive aging is well within everyone’s reach…Believe you can; believe you can’t and you are likely to be correct – your choice. Both attitudes can become a
self-fulfilling prophecy once you understand and respect the mind body connection…aging is just a series of many beginnings and we control the starting points for each pathway.