Older consumers in their 60s and 70s use electronic gadgets nearly as much as 18 to 34-year-olds, according to a study by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA). And while younger people are still more likely to play video games, use portable MP3 players, and visit social networking sites, older people use cell phones at a competitive rate.
More than 3,100 U.S. adults were surveyed for the CEA study, which found that in week prior to taking the survey, 80 percent of 60-somethings used cell phones—nearly equal the usage rates of 18 to 34-year-olds.
Preparing for an influx of baby boomers who will demand technology access, many senior living companies have partnered with other organizations to meet those needs. Brookdale Senior Living recently partnered with AT&T to offer a series of one-on-one sessions with seniors to help them with the features of their cell phones, such as sending text messages, controlling volume, and checking voice mail.
Editor's Note:
We're going to start a series of posts on senior's and their current use of technology in 2009. Keep an eye out for some eye-opening statistics that will have you re-thinking your service offerings and activity calendars. BBrunk
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Monday, January 5, 2009
What Boomers Want -- New study reveals leading-edge baby boomers' retirement home dreams
To crack the code on what the generation known as the baby boomers will want next in a home, you'll have to talk to the 77 million people born between 1946 and 1964. Since that's not likely, the next best thing might be to talk with a select few whose tastes, values, preferences, and influence over others will lend real insight into what the rest of the market-making cohort may desire in their retirement homes.
So earlier this year, Hanley Wood, BIG BUILDER'S parent company, and research firm DYG surveyed 2,000 homeowning boomers—aged 50 to 60 with household incomes averaging $100,000 or more—to find out what these soon-to-retire consumers want in their homes and communities as they move into the next stage of their lives. DYG then held eight follow-up focus groups of eight participants each in June in Chicago and Fairfax, Va. Results of the “Every 8 Seconds: American Housing as Boomers Turn 60” study were compared with a 2005 survey by DYG of “average” baby boomers.
This select sampling of trendsetting boomers, who may serve as bellwethers of their age-group's wider behaviors and attitudes toward imminent home decisions, are called “Boomfluentials” in the study. Some survey results are both surprising and controversial, but each statistic offers builders insight into what this unique generation dreams about for its retirement years. This information can be translated into a truly vast array of opportunities, as two things emerged conclusively about baby boomers. They can't be lumped together—they fill a lot of niches—and they not only want what they want, but they can afford it, too.
BOOMER BASICS: A birdseye view of the first floor of the 2,900 square-foot home Ed Binkley designed with boomers' desires in mind, features of their preferences—the ability to live on one floor, as well as a second master suite.
It was impossible to cover even a fraction of “Every 8 Seconds: American Housing as Boomers Turn 60” in this article, so we've summarized the major findings. We shared the study's results with 10 builders and four consultants and then spoke to them about what they thought the study meant for builders. What we've chosen to report on here were the study findings, and the opportunities they revealed, that drew the strongest, most intense responses from the builders and consultants with whom we spoke. They focused on features of the home, types of housing, and communities.
WHAT'S THE STORY?
Conventional wisdom says that retirees want one-story, small homes, and the Hanley Wood research supports this, with 38 percent of the survey respondents interested in remodeling or moving so they can live on one floor and 58 percent willing to move to a smaller home. The flip side of these statistics represents those boomers who would be happy with two floors and a larger home. Both options represent opportunities for builders to create new housing products.
Kushner Cos. built two golf course communities on rolling, landscaped terrain on Long Island, with eight different house models. “The original design was for six of the eight models to have master suites on the first floor,” says Sam Gershwin, president of the Westminster Communities division of the company. “The other two models put all bedrooms on the second floor. In response to customers, we now have two new [one-floor] ‘ranch' models.”
As for larger homes, Slenker Land Corp, which acts as the master planner for communities in Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware, has seen the number of single women buying homes in 55-plus communities increase dramatically in the past five years. “In our region, a mother and daughter or two sisters are selling their homes and then moving together into a 55-plus home,” says Bob Slenker, the company founder. “Especially in the last year in the Washington, D.C., area, there have been a lot of sales of those types. So we've started designing homes for a boomer to [live] with an aging parent who is not ill. These are homes with two master suites, where the boomers are upstairs, and mom, who is 84 and healthy, is downstairs.”
Another opportunity identified by “Every 8 Seconds” is the second home—44 percent of the participants show an interest in that option whether they would build, buy, or rent. Ed Binkley, partner-in-charge of the Orlando office of Bloodgood Sharp Buster Architects and Planners, calls this trend “home-splitting,” in which people live in more than one city. He's designed a small home based on both Hanley Wood's research and this trend. “Maybe [people] don't buy a great big home in one place,” says Binkley. “They split the square footage between the two houses. Big builders can sell houses to these people in both markets.”
Such homes would fill different functions for their owners. “We are re-introducing the seasonal home,” says Steve Soriano, president of Robson Communities. These are lower-end, lower-price products, but Soriano stresses that “lower” doesn't refer to the buyer's income. “The buyer may be just as well off financially, but only plans to spend a few months there,” he says. “It's impractical for them to buy a big house.”
Consultant Bill Becker, founder of the William E. Becker Organization, foresees big builders that operate in multiple markets selling boomers both primary and vacation homes. “Boomers are bored with what they have and where they live,” he says. “They're looking at what they're going to do with their leisure time. So builders can take advantage of this by selling two houses rather than one.”
Of all the findings in “Every 8 Seconds,” the most controversial was these leading-edge boomers' reported lack of interest in family and friends, especially grandchildren, compared with average boomers. Only 59 percent identified spending time with the grandkids as a priority after age 60, compared with 80 percent of average boomers.
Yet this finding has a concrete effect on house design, too. “We struggle with how in tune [new retirees] are with their grandchildren,” says Michael Skea, vice president of marketing and sales for the northeast region of K. Hovnanian. “We do customer surveys, and on the grandchildren, we get conflicting information. If they want to see their grandchildren a lot, then we need more bedrooms and community attractions.”
If retiring boomers are really less interested in having adult children and grandchildren stay with them, then builders can build smaller houses with fewer bedrooms. But if these boomers want family to stay with them, houses must be larger, with more guest space. Either way, it's a product opportunity for the builder that accurately assesses the trend.
ATTACHMENT ISSUES
The idea of retirement homes was conceived in the United States, and the basic paradigm has been the single-family, detached home in suburbia. The home might be in a golf course or other gated community, but it was never multifamily, attached, or high-density housing.
A ROOM OF THEIR OWN: Although many boomers say they want one-story living, others say they wouldn't mind having a second floor. A separate, second-floor suite for children and grandchildren is an appealing feature to 21 percent of boomers.
“Every 8 Seconds” opens new doors for builders of active adult or retirement housing. While about 89 percent of boomers currently live in the traditional single-family, detached home, only about 72 percent want to live in such a home in the future. As long as they can own their residence, multifamily buildings, such as co-ops and condos, appeal to 11 percent of boomers. Only 4 percent of this generation currently lives in such housing, so this market could grow as boomers retire. Townhomes, duplexes, and row houses are attractive to 15 percent of this group as well, and because only 6 percent of boomers currently live in this type of dwelling, again, opportunity awaits the builder that reads the local market correctly.
“We'll see a higher proportion of development in multifamily housing,” says Margaret Wylde, president of the consulting company Promatura Group. “One reason is land scarcity. A second reason is acceptance by customers of multifamily living, as long as they own. Sharing of walls is not as abhorrent to boomers as to their parents' generation.”
Toll Brothers builds single-family, multifamily, high-rise, and small, medium, and large attached and detached homes in cities and in beach communities. “[The survey] tells me that Toll Brothers' diverse approach is right,” says Kira McCarron, chief marketing officer and senior vice president of Toll Brothers. “There are many ways to serve the market.”
Or take Kushner Cos.' four-story, elevator-access, Waterford residential building in East Brunswick, N.J., or K. Hovnanian's Vista Pointe at Imperial Walk, a six-story condo tower in West New York, N.J. Both high-end, lavishly appointed projects owe their existence, at least in part, to New Jersey's extreme land shortage. “Land constraints in New Jersey led K. Hovnanian to develop products with density to build in semi-urban areas,” says Skea. “There is a market demand by people who want to stay in North New Jersey and have this type of highly amenitized, resort-at-home atmosphere.”
Suburbia is home to 73 percent of the “me” generation surveyed by DYG, but only 67 percent of them want to live in the 'burbs when they retire. County life calls 14 percent of the respondents, though 8 percent live there now. The big city beckons 16 percent of the boomers, while 18 percent are currently city dwellers. All of this suggests that there will be fewer boomers in the suburbs, more in the country, and about the same number in the cities.
McCarron is skeptical about these statistics. “I doubt the rural statements,” she says. “Cities are getting better. We are seeing sizable interest in city offerings from people in this category. The idea that people want to be pastoral—they aren't being realistic.”
At Shea Homes' active adult, age-restricted Trilogy Communities, the feeling is urban, but on a small scale. “We know there won't be a big movement to cities,” says Rick Andreen, president of Trilogy Communities. “We find [that there] is a desire for urban convenience but not the drawbacks.” Each master planned Trilogy Community has a “modern” urban core that is walkable, secure, and safe, complete with retail stores and large pedestrian walkways and trails. “We're seeing multiple small urban centers in the future,” says Andreen. “People live in suburban areas, but they have these small urban centers nearby with all the retail and entertainment. They are more than a village, but less than a city center.”
Living Luxury
Toll Brothers entered the active adult market in 1999. “We knew we were following boomers into their next phase of life,” says Kira McCarron, chief marketing officer and senior vice president of the company. “We knew their retirement paradigm was not the same as their parents'. But we were hit between the eyes by how much luxury that they did want.” McCarron says Toll Brothers did anticipate a certain amount of extras, but not a quantity that would increase the price of a $400,000 house by another $200,000—just as an example. “It wasn't any one thing,” McCarron says. “It was just the entire volume.”
Although only one third of boomers surveyed by Hanley Wood and DYG. selected “luxurious” as a characteristic of their dream home, it's obvious that opulence and lavishness represent a huge opportunity for builders who cater to high-end boomers. Finding a way to put some luxury into mid-range or even lower-end housing products is a way for any builder to differentiate itself.
Boomers want functional and efficient spaces, but they also want homes that are open, airy, user-friendly and that seamlessly mix indoor and outdoor spaces. They want big master suites, spa-like master bathrooms, big state-of-the-art kitchens, casual gathering spaces. And they want green, energy-efficient, high-tech, environmentally-friendly homes. Add a dash of luxury, and there's an opportunity there for every builder.
Top 10 Dream Home Characteristics
SOURCE: “EVERY 8 SECONDS: AMERICAN HOUSING AS BOOMERS TURN 60,” SPONSORED BY HANLEY WOOD AND CONDUCTED BY DYG
AGE-INCLUSIVE
When it comes to the housing situation or type of communities the surveyed respondents were most interested in, their answers represent many new ideas for builders. Take the notion of age-restricted communities. Only 13 percent liked the idea, while 56 percent were far more interested in living in multicultural, richly diverse neighborhoods. Just 28 percent want to live in a golf resort, while 65 percent of the surveyed respondents want to live in an outdoors living community. Though it's a small group, 12 percent said they want to live in a foreign country. Taken together, the findings show that baby boomers want to live in very different communities than their parents and grandparents.
The lack of interest in age-restricted registered dissent, most notably at Pulte Homes, the nation's leader in active adult communities through its age-restricted Del Webb brand. David Schreiner, vice president of Pulte's active adult business in Phoenix, says, “We do see people wanting to live in communities with people their own age, so I disagree with that finding.”
On the other hand, the lack of interest in age restriction endorsed the strategies of Civix Holdings, which is moving into the active adult market with a new community in central Florida. Still in the planning stages, the community will include a mix of housing types with lots of outdoor activities and no age restrictions. “Hanley Wood's study solidifies our decisions in favor of a mix of condos, single-family homes, and no age restrictions,” says senior vice president Howard Cohen. “We're doing the right thing.”
Shea Homes' Trilogy Communities still represent a third version of the diversity issue. In its master planned developments, Trilogy is just one piece of the whole. The rest of the developments include mixed types of family housing and the small urban centers. “Boomers don't want to live in a traditional active adult community,” says Andreen. “They want diversity, but they also want to be around people who are a similar life stage. They can live in Trilogy, but the grandchildren may be in the family village just a quarter mile away.”
Golf's low popularity ranking was a disappointment but not a surprise for Steve Soriano. “We knew, but weren't willing to accept, the decline of golf as a reason to move into a community,” he says. Golf is more than a recreation. The course is integral to surface water management, especially in the desert. Soriano says Robson Communities will keep building golf communities until it can find something to replace the course's role in water management.
Still, outdoor activities ranked far more highly than golf, and Becker thinks big builders should heed the findings. “The number one thing boomers want is to be way more active,” he says. “They want to see a trail with stations along the way where they can do exercises. Builders should put in more outdoor [amenities].”
Although just 12 percent of “Every 8 Seconds” respondents said they'd like to live in a foreign country, this, too, could have significance for builders. There's skepticism, of course, “I think very few people will actually move to another country,” says E. Thomas Wetzel, president of the Retirement Living Center. “Medicare is not applicable in a foreign country. You have to buy health insurance locally.”
Nevertheless, says Wylde, “Builders should ask what it is about the foreign communities that people like. It's often that they're walkable, have a common central square, and have a sense of community of spending time lingering on lunch, of savoring, and enjoying life more.”
Andreen agrees. “I think moving to another country is a fantasy,” he says. “But it's a yearning that we as builders should think about.”
Bridget Mintz Testa is a freelance writer based in Houston.
Eight on “8” Hanley Wood, BIG BUILDER's parent company, recently sponsored an online survey of 2,000 baby boomers who own their own homes, are 50 to 60 years old, and have average household incomes of $100,000 and up. This survey, “Every 8 Seconds: American Housing As Boomers Turn 60,” conducted by research company DYG was followed up in June by discussions with a total of eight focus groups made up of eight individuals each in Chicago and Fairfax, Va. Responses were tabulated and compared with responses from “average” baby boomers. Here's a short summary of the major research findings.
Setting boundaries: In general, these leading-edge baby boomers are focused on themselves in their retirement, which 66 percent of them expect to enjoy, compared to just 52 percent of average boomers. They are not as interested in family, grandchildren, volunteer work, faith, or religion as average boomers.
Move down: Only 21 percent of high-income boomers wish to stay in their current home as it is today, although an additional 15 percent are willing to remodel their current home to match their desires. Thirty-five percent are interested in buying another home, 17 percent want to design or build a new home, and 44 percent want to build, buy, or rent a second home. The majority, 58 percent, wants to move into a smaller home, while 12 percent want to move into a larger one.
Give 'em space : A single-family, detached home is still housing type for 72 percent, but 11 percent would like to live in a multifamily building in a unit they own and 15 percent would like to live in a semi-detached home, such as a townhouse, duplex, or row house.
Location, location, location: Most, 67 percent, want to live in the suburbs in the future, while about 14 percent want to move to rural areas. Only 16 percent are interested in living in urban areas, which is less than the 18 percent of boomers who live in cities now. This suggests little, if any, movement to cities.
Warm and sunny: Boomfluentials say they don't want to live a traditional retirement lifestyle, but they do prefer traditional retirement regions. Nearly a third say they'd like to live in a South-Atlantic state, especially those considering buying a second home. And the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions should experience an exodus of boomers. The Mountain states appeal to 14 percent.
Amenities, please: Top unmet boomer housing needs include low upkeep and maintenance, energy efficiency, state-of-the-art technology, environmental friendliness, and “universal” or “barrier-free” design features for accessibility (including a single-floor homes).
Great outdoors: Just under two-thirds of the high-income boomers, 65 percent, want to live in a community designed for outdoor activities; 61 percent want to live in a community with a laid-back, relaxed, casual lifestyle. More than half of these boomers are interested in communities that are environmentally-friendly, multi-cultural, intellectually stimulating, and focused on health.
From the home office: About 25 percent of this high-end boomer community has already retired from at least one job. Among those who are still working, six in 10 plan to retire within the next five to 10 years. Despite these plans, 55 percent want to have a room in their retirement home from which they can work.
TO PURCHASE A COPY OF HANLEY WOOD'S REPORT, “EVERY 8 SECONDS: AMERICAN HOUSING AS BOOMERS TURN 60,” VISIT WWW.AMERICANHOUSINGCONF.COM.
Source: BIG BUILDER Magazine
Happy New Year Everyone: We expect to bring you new, interesting, and thought-provoking concepts in 2009 to enhance your resident experience and operational goals. Enjoy! BB
So earlier this year, Hanley Wood, BIG BUILDER'S parent company, and research firm DYG surveyed 2,000 homeowning boomers—aged 50 to 60 with household incomes averaging $100,000 or more—to find out what these soon-to-retire consumers want in their homes and communities as they move into the next stage of their lives. DYG then held eight follow-up focus groups of eight participants each in June in Chicago and Fairfax, Va. Results of the “Every 8 Seconds: American Housing as Boomers Turn 60” study were compared with a 2005 survey by DYG of “average” baby boomers.
This select sampling of trendsetting boomers, who may serve as bellwethers of their age-group's wider behaviors and attitudes toward imminent home decisions, are called “Boomfluentials” in the study. Some survey results are both surprising and controversial, but each statistic offers builders insight into what this unique generation dreams about for its retirement years. This information can be translated into a truly vast array of opportunities, as two things emerged conclusively about baby boomers. They can't be lumped together—they fill a lot of niches—and they not only want what they want, but they can afford it, too.
BOOMER BASICS: A birdseye view of the first floor of the 2,900 square-foot home Ed Binkley designed with boomers' desires in mind, features of their preferences—the ability to live on one floor, as well as a second master suite.
It was impossible to cover even a fraction of “Every 8 Seconds: American Housing as Boomers Turn 60” in this article, so we've summarized the major findings. We shared the study's results with 10 builders and four consultants and then spoke to them about what they thought the study meant for builders. What we've chosen to report on here were the study findings, and the opportunities they revealed, that drew the strongest, most intense responses from the builders and consultants with whom we spoke. They focused on features of the home, types of housing, and communities.
WHAT'S THE STORY?
Conventional wisdom says that retirees want one-story, small homes, and the Hanley Wood research supports this, with 38 percent of the survey respondents interested in remodeling or moving so they can live on one floor and 58 percent willing to move to a smaller home. The flip side of these statistics represents those boomers who would be happy with two floors and a larger home. Both options represent opportunities for builders to create new housing products.
Kushner Cos. built two golf course communities on rolling, landscaped terrain on Long Island, with eight different house models. “The original design was for six of the eight models to have master suites on the first floor,” says Sam Gershwin, president of the Westminster Communities division of the company. “The other two models put all bedrooms on the second floor. In response to customers, we now have two new [one-floor] ‘ranch' models.”
As for larger homes, Slenker Land Corp, which acts as the master planner for communities in Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware, has seen the number of single women buying homes in 55-plus communities increase dramatically in the past five years. “In our region, a mother and daughter or two sisters are selling their homes and then moving together into a 55-plus home,” says Bob Slenker, the company founder. “Especially in the last year in the Washington, D.C., area, there have been a lot of sales of those types. So we've started designing homes for a boomer to [live] with an aging parent who is not ill. These are homes with two master suites, where the boomers are upstairs, and mom, who is 84 and healthy, is downstairs.”
Another opportunity identified by “Every 8 Seconds” is the second home—44 percent of the participants show an interest in that option whether they would build, buy, or rent. Ed Binkley, partner-in-charge of the Orlando office of Bloodgood Sharp Buster Architects and Planners, calls this trend “home-splitting,” in which people live in more than one city. He's designed a small home based on both Hanley Wood's research and this trend. “Maybe [people] don't buy a great big home in one place,” says Binkley. “They split the square footage between the two houses. Big builders can sell houses to these people in both markets.”
Such homes would fill different functions for their owners. “We are re-introducing the seasonal home,” says Steve Soriano, president of Robson Communities. These are lower-end, lower-price products, but Soriano stresses that “lower” doesn't refer to the buyer's income. “The buyer may be just as well off financially, but only plans to spend a few months there,” he says. “It's impractical for them to buy a big house.”
Consultant Bill Becker, founder of the William E. Becker Organization, foresees big builders that operate in multiple markets selling boomers both primary and vacation homes. “Boomers are bored with what they have and where they live,” he says. “They're looking at what they're going to do with their leisure time. So builders can take advantage of this by selling two houses rather than one.”
Of all the findings in “Every 8 Seconds,” the most controversial was these leading-edge boomers' reported lack of interest in family and friends, especially grandchildren, compared with average boomers. Only 59 percent identified spending time with the grandkids as a priority after age 60, compared with 80 percent of average boomers.
Yet this finding has a concrete effect on house design, too. “We struggle with how in tune [new retirees] are with their grandchildren,” says Michael Skea, vice president of marketing and sales for the northeast region of K. Hovnanian. “We do customer surveys, and on the grandchildren, we get conflicting information. If they want to see their grandchildren a lot, then we need more bedrooms and community attractions.”
If retiring boomers are really less interested in having adult children and grandchildren stay with them, then builders can build smaller houses with fewer bedrooms. But if these boomers want family to stay with them, houses must be larger, with more guest space. Either way, it's a product opportunity for the builder that accurately assesses the trend.
ATTACHMENT ISSUES
The idea of retirement homes was conceived in the United States, and the basic paradigm has been the single-family, detached home in suburbia. The home might be in a golf course or other gated community, but it was never multifamily, attached, or high-density housing.
A ROOM OF THEIR OWN: Although many boomers say they want one-story living, others say they wouldn't mind having a second floor. A separate, second-floor suite for children and grandchildren is an appealing feature to 21 percent of boomers.
“Every 8 Seconds” opens new doors for builders of active adult or retirement housing. While about 89 percent of boomers currently live in the traditional single-family, detached home, only about 72 percent want to live in such a home in the future. As long as they can own their residence, multifamily buildings, such as co-ops and condos, appeal to 11 percent of boomers. Only 4 percent of this generation currently lives in such housing, so this market could grow as boomers retire. Townhomes, duplexes, and row houses are attractive to 15 percent of this group as well, and because only 6 percent of boomers currently live in this type of dwelling, again, opportunity awaits the builder that reads the local market correctly.
“We'll see a higher proportion of development in multifamily housing,” says Margaret Wylde, president of the consulting company Promatura Group. “One reason is land scarcity. A second reason is acceptance by customers of multifamily living, as long as they own. Sharing of walls is not as abhorrent to boomers as to their parents' generation.”
Toll Brothers builds single-family, multifamily, high-rise, and small, medium, and large attached and detached homes in cities and in beach communities. “[The survey] tells me that Toll Brothers' diverse approach is right,” says Kira McCarron, chief marketing officer and senior vice president of Toll Brothers. “There are many ways to serve the market.”
Or take Kushner Cos.' four-story, elevator-access, Waterford residential building in East Brunswick, N.J., or K. Hovnanian's Vista Pointe at Imperial Walk, a six-story condo tower in West New York, N.J. Both high-end, lavishly appointed projects owe their existence, at least in part, to New Jersey's extreme land shortage. “Land constraints in New Jersey led K. Hovnanian to develop products with density to build in semi-urban areas,” says Skea. “There is a market demand by people who want to stay in North New Jersey and have this type of highly amenitized, resort-at-home atmosphere.”
Suburbia is home to 73 percent of the “me” generation surveyed by DYG, but only 67 percent of them want to live in the 'burbs when they retire. County life calls 14 percent of the respondents, though 8 percent live there now. The big city beckons 16 percent of the boomers, while 18 percent are currently city dwellers. All of this suggests that there will be fewer boomers in the suburbs, more in the country, and about the same number in the cities.
McCarron is skeptical about these statistics. “I doubt the rural statements,” she says. “Cities are getting better. We are seeing sizable interest in city offerings from people in this category. The idea that people want to be pastoral—they aren't being realistic.”
At Shea Homes' active adult, age-restricted Trilogy Communities, the feeling is urban, but on a small scale. “We know there won't be a big movement to cities,” says Rick Andreen, president of Trilogy Communities. “We find [that there] is a desire for urban convenience but not the drawbacks.” Each master planned Trilogy Community has a “modern” urban core that is walkable, secure, and safe, complete with retail stores and large pedestrian walkways and trails. “We're seeing multiple small urban centers in the future,” says Andreen. “People live in suburban areas, but they have these small urban centers nearby with all the retail and entertainment. They are more than a village, but less than a city center.”
Living Luxury
Toll Brothers entered the active adult market in 1999. “We knew we were following boomers into their next phase of life,” says Kira McCarron, chief marketing officer and senior vice president of the company. “We knew their retirement paradigm was not the same as their parents'. But we were hit between the eyes by how much luxury that they did want.” McCarron says Toll Brothers did anticipate a certain amount of extras, but not a quantity that would increase the price of a $400,000 house by another $200,000—just as an example. “It wasn't any one thing,” McCarron says. “It was just the entire volume.”
Although only one third of boomers surveyed by Hanley Wood and DYG. selected “luxurious” as a characteristic of their dream home, it's obvious that opulence and lavishness represent a huge opportunity for builders who cater to high-end boomers. Finding a way to put some luxury into mid-range or even lower-end housing products is a way for any builder to differentiate itself.
Boomers want functional and efficient spaces, but they also want homes that are open, airy, user-friendly and that seamlessly mix indoor and outdoor spaces. They want big master suites, spa-like master bathrooms, big state-of-the-art kitchens, casual gathering spaces. And they want green, energy-efficient, high-tech, environmentally-friendly homes. Add a dash of luxury, and there's an opportunity there for every builder.
Top 10 Dream Home Characteristics
SOURCE: “EVERY 8 SECONDS: AMERICAN HOUSING AS BOOMERS TURN 60,” SPONSORED BY HANLEY WOOD AND CONDUCTED BY DYG
AGE-INCLUSIVE
When it comes to the housing situation or type of communities the surveyed respondents were most interested in, their answers represent many new ideas for builders. Take the notion of age-restricted communities. Only 13 percent liked the idea, while 56 percent were far more interested in living in multicultural, richly diverse neighborhoods. Just 28 percent want to live in a golf resort, while 65 percent of the surveyed respondents want to live in an outdoors living community. Though it's a small group, 12 percent said they want to live in a foreign country. Taken together, the findings show that baby boomers want to live in very different communities than their parents and grandparents.
The lack of interest in age-restricted registered dissent, most notably at Pulte Homes, the nation's leader in active adult communities through its age-restricted Del Webb brand. David Schreiner, vice president of Pulte's active adult business in Phoenix, says, “We do see people wanting to live in communities with people their own age, so I disagree with that finding.”
On the other hand, the lack of interest in age restriction endorsed the strategies of Civix Holdings, which is moving into the active adult market with a new community in central Florida. Still in the planning stages, the community will include a mix of housing types with lots of outdoor activities and no age restrictions. “Hanley Wood's study solidifies our decisions in favor of a mix of condos, single-family homes, and no age restrictions,” says senior vice president Howard Cohen. “We're doing the right thing.”
Shea Homes' Trilogy Communities still represent a third version of the diversity issue. In its master planned developments, Trilogy is just one piece of the whole. The rest of the developments include mixed types of family housing and the small urban centers. “Boomers don't want to live in a traditional active adult community,” says Andreen. “They want diversity, but they also want to be around people who are a similar life stage. They can live in Trilogy, but the grandchildren may be in the family village just a quarter mile away.”
Golf's low popularity ranking was a disappointment but not a surprise for Steve Soriano. “We knew, but weren't willing to accept, the decline of golf as a reason to move into a community,” he says. Golf is more than a recreation. The course is integral to surface water management, especially in the desert. Soriano says Robson Communities will keep building golf communities until it can find something to replace the course's role in water management.
Still, outdoor activities ranked far more highly than golf, and Becker thinks big builders should heed the findings. “The number one thing boomers want is to be way more active,” he says. “They want to see a trail with stations along the way where they can do exercises. Builders should put in more outdoor [amenities].”
Although just 12 percent of “Every 8 Seconds” respondents said they'd like to live in a foreign country, this, too, could have significance for builders. There's skepticism, of course, “I think very few people will actually move to another country,” says E. Thomas Wetzel, president of the Retirement Living Center. “Medicare is not applicable in a foreign country. You have to buy health insurance locally.”
Nevertheless, says Wylde, “Builders should ask what it is about the foreign communities that people like. It's often that they're walkable, have a common central square, and have a sense of community of spending time lingering on lunch, of savoring, and enjoying life more.”
Andreen agrees. “I think moving to another country is a fantasy,” he says. “But it's a yearning that we as builders should think about.”
Bridget Mintz Testa is a freelance writer based in Houston.
Eight on “8” Hanley Wood, BIG BUILDER's parent company, recently sponsored an online survey of 2,000 baby boomers who own their own homes, are 50 to 60 years old, and have average household incomes of $100,000 and up. This survey, “Every 8 Seconds: American Housing As Boomers Turn 60,” conducted by research company DYG was followed up in June by discussions with a total of eight focus groups made up of eight individuals each in Chicago and Fairfax, Va. Responses were tabulated and compared with responses from “average” baby boomers. Here's a short summary of the major research findings.
Setting boundaries: In general, these leading-edge baby boomers are focused on themselves in their retirement, which 66 percent of them expect to enjoy, compared to just 52 percent of average boomers. They are not as interested in family, grandchildren, volunteer work, faith, or religion as average boomers.
Move down: Only 21 percent of high-income boomers wish to stay in their current home as it is today, although an additional 15 percent are willing to remodel their current home to match their desires. Thirty-five percent are interested in buying another home, 17 percent want to design or build a new home, and 44 percent want to build, buy, or rent a second home. The majority, 58 percent, wants to move into a smaller home, while 12 percent want to move into a larger one.
Give 'em space : A single-family, detached home is still housing type for 72 percent, but 11 percent would like to live in a multifamily building in a unit they own and 15 percent would like to live in a semi-detached home, such as a townhouse, duplex, or row house.
Location, location, location: Most, 67 percent, want to live in the suburbs in the future, while about 14 percent want to move to rural areas. Only 16 percent are interested in living in urban areas, which is less than the 18 percent of boomers who live in cities now. This suggests little, if any, movement to cities.
Warm and sunny: Boomfluentials say they don't want to live a traditional retirement lifestyle, but they do prefer traditional retirement regions. Nearly a third say they'd like to live in a South-Atlantic state, especially those considering buying a second home. And the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions should experience an exodus of boomers. The Mountain states appeal to 14 percent.
Amenities, please: Top unmet boomer housing needs include low upkeep and maintenance, energy efficiency, state-of-the-art technology, environmental friendliness, and “universal” or “barrier-free” design features for accessibility (including a single-floor homes).
Great outdoors: Just under two-thirds of the high-income boomers, 65 percent, want to live in a community designed for outdoor activities; 61 percent want to live in a community with a laid-back, relaxed, casual lifestyle. More than half of these boomers are interested in communities that are environmentally-friendly, multi-cultural, intellectually stimulating, and focused on health.
From the home office: About 25 percent of this high-end boomer community has already retired from at least one job. Among those who are still working, six in 10 plan to retire within the next five to 10 years. Despite these plans, 55 percent want to have a room in their retirement home from which they can work.
TO PURCHASE A COPY OF HANLEY WOOD'S REPORT, “EVERY 8 SECONDS: AMERICAN HOUSING AS BOOMERS TURN 60,” VISIT WWW.AMERICANHOUSINGCONF.COM.
Source: BIG BUILDER Magazine
Happy New Year Everyone: We expect to bring you new, interesting, and thought-provoking concepts in 2009 to enhance your resident experience and operational goals. Enjoy! BB
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
LTC Residents to Get Digital TV Coupons, But Who Will Hook up the New Box?
For Immediate Release: November 18, 2008
The Commerce Department's NTIA Awards $2.7 Million to National Association of Area Agencies on Aging to Help Seniors Transition to Digital TV
WASHINGTON—The Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced today an award of $2.7 million to the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) to help seniors transition to digital television through the TV Converter Box Coupon Program. Full-power TV broadcasters switch from analog to 100 percent digital broadcasts after February 17, 2009.
“Vulnerable consumers will be helped with the technical assistance that n4a will provide,” said Meredith Baker, acting NTIA administrator. “They have the right mix of capacity, skills and experience—as well as trust and standing among seniors—to lead this effort to help older adults transition to digital television.”
The association will assist seniors with completing a coupon application, obtaining a converter box and connecting the device to a television in the home now to the end of April. They are partnering with credible and effective organizations, together forming the Keeping Seniors Connected (KSC) Coalition. These include the Meals on Wheels Association of America, the National Association for Hispanic Elderly, the National Asian Pacific Center on Aging and the National Caucus and Center on Black Aged. The association recently served as the lead national organization on a $5 million contract, successfully coordinating assistance in promoting Medicare Part D enrollment.
"With extensive outreach in communities across the country, the Keeping Seniors Connected organizations will reinforce the efforts of the NTIA and their contractors by directly disseminating customized, targeted information about the transition to these vulnerable populations,” said Sandy Markwood, CEO of the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging. “Most importantly, n4a will then offer seniors the direct, one-on-one assistance that most will need in order to make a smooth transition to DTV."
NTIA is working with more than 300 federal and private organizations to ensure a smooth digital TV transition for America’s seniors and other households. Also, NTIA’s consumer education effort, including the “apply, buy and try” campaign to urge consumers to request coupons before the end of the year, is proving effective. To date, more than 18 million households have requested more than 35 million coupons, and more than 14 million coupons have been redeemed.
Background
The Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005 requires full-power television stations to cease analog broadcasts and switch to digital after February 17, 2009. The Act authorizes NTIA to create the TV Converter Box Coupon Program, which is funded by the $19 billion airwaves auction and not tax dollars.
Digital broadcast television offers consumers a clearer picture, more programming choices and will free up the airwaves for better communications among emergency first responders and new telecommunications services.
Consumers receiving free, over-the-air television on analog televisions will need to act to ensure their televisions continue to work when full power television stations go all-digital. Viewers of over-the-air television need to look at each analog set in their home that is not connected to cable, satellite or other pay television service and make a timely decision. They can connect their television to cable, satellite or pay television service; they can replace it with a digital TV; or they may keep it working with a TV converter box.
For consumers choosing the converter box option, the TV Converter Box Coupon Program permits all households to request up to two coupons - each worth $40 - toward the purchase of certified converter boxes. Coupons may be requested until March 31, 2009, or while supplies last. Consumers can purchase a converter box at one of the more than 35,000 participating local, phone or online retailers. Coupon applications can take several weeks to process and mail so consumers opting to purchase a converter box should act now, and should call stores before shopping to ensure the desired converter box is available. Converter boxes generally cost between $45 and $80 and coupons expire 90 days from the date they are mailed.
Some viewers watch programs over translators or other low-power stations which may continue broadcasting analog signals after February 17, 2009. Those viewers may wish to select a converter box that will pass through analog signals.
Households may apply now for coupons online at www.DTV2009.gov, by phone at 1-888-DTV-2009 (1-888-388-2009), via fax at 1-877-DTV-4ME2 (1-877-388-4632) or by mail to P.O. Box 2000, Portland, OR 97208-2000. Deaf or hard of hearing callers may dial 1-877-530-2634 (English TTY) or 1-866-495-1161 (Spanish TTY). Nursing home residents may apply with the paper application available downloadable at www.DTV2009.gov.
Consumers will receive a list of eligible converter boxes and participating retailers with their coupons. Coupons expire 90 days after they are mailed, and only one coupon can be used to purchase each coupon-eligible converter box.
For more information about the Coupon Program, please visit www.DTV2009.gov and for questions about the DTV transition, go to www.dtv.gov or call 1-888-CALL-FCC.
NTIA is responsible for the development of the domestic and international telecommunications policy of the Executive Branch.
Contact: Todd Sedmak, (202) 482-7002 or press@ntia.doc.gov
Editor's Note:
The NTIA is correct to note that "our nation's seniors, including those residing in nursing homes or other senior care facilities, constitute a vulnerable community that may rely on free, over-the-air television to a greater degree than other members of the public."
What the NTIA does not suggest is that the Owners and Operators of said senior care facilities should have knowledgeable tech people on staff who are aware of the impending change from analogue to digital TV on February 17, 2009. Is this on the radar of your facility's staff and do your IT gurus plan to perform the installation of the converter box for all your residents??
Better check now before you're caught with your pants down in February when Mr. Jones and Mrs. Smith's TV stops working. There is nothing like a non-working TV to make your resident satisfaction scores plummet to zero. BB
The Commerce Department's NTIA Awards $2.7 Million to National Association of Area Agencies on Aging to Help Seniors Transition to Digital TV
WASHINGTON—The Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced today an award of $2.7 million to the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) to help seniors transition to digital television through the TV Converter Box Coupon Program. Full-power TV broadcasters switch from analog to 100 percent digital broadcasts after February 17, 2009.
“Vulnerable consumers will be helped with the technical assistance that n4a will provide,” said Meredith Baker, acting NTIA administrator. “They have the right mix of capacity, skills and experience—as well as trust and standing among seniors—to lead this effort to help older adults transition to digital television.”
The association will assist seniors with completing a coupon application, obtaining a converter box and connecting the device to a television in the home now to the end of April. They are partnering with credible and effective organizations, together forming the Keeping Seniors Connected (KSC) Coalition. These include the Meals on Wheels Association of America, the National Association for Hispanic Elderly, the National Asian Pacific Center on Aging and the National Caucus and Center on Black Aged. The association recently served as the lead national organization on a $5 million contract, successfully coordinating assistance in promoting Medicare Part D enrollment.
"With extensive outreach in communities across the country, the Keeping Seniors Connected organizations will reinforce the efforts of the NTIA and their contractors by directly disseminating customized, targeted information about the transition to these vulnerable populations,” said Sandy Markwood, CEO of the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging. “Most importantly, n4a will then offer seniors the direct, one-on-one assistance that most will need in order to make a smooth transition to DTV."
NTIA is working with more than 300 federal and private organizations to ensure a smooth digital TV transition for America’s seniors and other households. Also, NTIA’s consumer education effort, including the “apply, buy and try” campaign to urge consumers to request coupons before the end of the year, is proving effective. To date, more than 18 million households have requested more than 35 million coupons, and more than 14 million coupons have been redeemed.
Background
The Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005 requires full-power television stations to cease analog broadcasts and switch to digital after February 17, 2009. The Act authorizes NTIA to create the TV Converter Box Coupon Program, which is funded by the $19 billion airwaves auction and not tax dollars.
Digital broadcast television offers consumers a clearer picture, more programming choices and will free up the airwaves for better communications among emergency first responders and new telecommunications services.
Consumers receiving free, over-the-air television on analog televisions will need to act to ensure their televisions continue to work when full power television stations go all-digital. Viewers of over-the-air television need to look at each analog set in their home that is not connected to cable, satellite or other pay television service and make a timely decision. They can connect their television to cable, satellite or pay television service; they can replace it with a digital TV; or they may keep it working with a TV converter box.
For consumers choosing the converter box option, the TV Converter Box Coupon Program permits all households to request up to two coupons - each worth $40 - toward the purchase of certified converter boxes. Coupons may be requested until March 31, 2009, or while supplies last. Consumers can purchase a converter box at one of the more than 35,000 participating local, phone or online retailers. Coupon applications can take several weeks to process and mail so consumers opting to purchase a converter box should act now, and should call stores before shopping to ensure the desired converter box is available. Converter boxes generally cost between $45 and $80 and coupons expire 90 days from the date they are mailed.
Some viewers watch programs over translators or other low-power stations which may continue broadcasting analog signals after February 17, 2009. Those viewers may wish to select a converter box that will pass through analog signals.
Households may apply now for coupons online at www.DTV2009.gov, by phone at 1-888-DTV-2009 (1-888-388-2009), via fax at 1-877-DTV-4ME2 (1-877-388-4632) or by mail to P.O. Box 2000, Portland, OR 97208-2000. Deaf or hard of hearing callers may dial 1-877-530-2634 (English TTY) or 1-866-495-1161 (Spanish TTY). Nursing home residents may apply with the paper application available downloadable at www.DTV2009.gov.
Consumers will receive a list of eligible converter boxes and participating retailers with their coupons. Coupons expire 90 days after they are mailed, and only one coupon can be used to purchase each coupon-eligible converter box.
For more information about the Coupon Program, please visit www.DTV2009.gov and for questions about the DTV transition, go to www.dtv.gov or call 1-888-CALL-FCC.
NTIA is responsible for the development of the domestic and international telecommunications policy of the Executive Branch.
Contact: Todd Sedmak, (202) 482-7002 or press@ntia.doc.gov
Editor's Note:
The NTIA is correct to note that "our nation's seniors, including those residing in nursing homes or other senior care facilities, constitute a vulnerable community that may rely on free, over-the-air television to a greater degree than other members of the public."
What the NTIA does not suggest is that the Owners and Operators of said senior care facilities should have knowledgeable tech people on staff who are aware of the impending change from analogue to digital TV on February 17, 2009. Is this on the radar of your facility's staff and do your IT gurus plan to perform the installation of the converter box for all your residents??
Better check now before you're caught with your pants down in February when Mr. Jones and Mrs. Smith's TV stops working. There is nothing like a non-working TV to make your resident satisfaction scores plummet to zero. BB
Sunday, October 12, 2008
What Do The Candidates Have to Say About Long-term Care?
Welcome to the AAHSA meeting in Philadelphia
October 7, 2008 in financing long term care, long-term care, making a difference, politics | Tags: Barack Obama, caregiving, cash and counseling, election, John McCain, long-term care, politics | by Sarah Mashburn
Today’s Changing Aging blog has a great post about one of my favorite blog topics: the presidential candidates and long-term care.
Recently, AARP Magazine asked both candidates to respond to the following question:
How would you shift long-term care services and financing so that people can afford to stay in their homes and communities as long as appropriate?
Here are their answers:
John McCain: I am confident in the pioneering approaches for delivering care to people in a home setting, and would look to them first as models for how we need to approach this issue. There have been a variety of promising state-based experiments such as Cash and Counseling or The Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). Through these programs, seniors are given a monthly assistance which they can use to hire workers and purchase care-related services and goods. They can get help managing their care by designating representatives, such as relatives or friends, to help make decisions. it also offers counseling and bookkeeping services to assist consumers.
Barack Obama: The long-term care system is heavily biased toward institutional care — even though most people would rather remain at home — and the quality of care is often poor. Moreover, nursing home and home care are very expensive, and Medicare coverage for both is limited, making catastrophic expenses routine. As President, I will work to give seniors choices about their care, consistent with their needs, and not biased towards institutional care. I will work to reform the financing of long-term care to protect seniors and families from impoverishment or debt. I will work to improve the quality of elder care, including by giving our long-term care and geriatric workforce the respect and support they deserve and training more nurses and health care workers in geriatrics.
Partisanship aside, I agree with elements of both Obama and McCain’s responses. McCain makes a good case for consumer choice and personal responsibility in his support of Cash and Counseling and other person-centered programs. On the other hand, Obama acknowledges that long-term care is expensive and that we should develop programs that help seniors and their loved ones address these costs. It’s no coicidence that both elements are included in our Long-term Care Solution Initiative. I guess that that makes me a “purple person” when it comes to this topic. What do you think?
October 7, 2008 in financing long term care, long-term care, making a difference, politics | Tags: Barack Obama, caregiving, cash and counseling, election, John McCain, long-term care, politics | by Sarah Mashburn
Today’s Changing Aging blog has a great post about one of my favorite blog topics: the presidential candidates and long-term care.
Recently, AARP Magazine asked both candidates to respond to the following question:
How would you shift long-term care services and financing so that people can afford to stay in their homes and communities as long as appropriate?
Here are their answers:
John McCain: I am confident in the pioneering approaches for delivering care to people in a home setting, and would look to them first as models for how we need to approach this issue. There have been a variety of promising state-based experiments such as Cash and Counseling or The Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). Through these programs, seniors are given a monthly assistance which they can use to hire workers and purchase care-related services and goods. They can get help managing their care by designating representatives, such as relatives or friends, to help make decisions. it also offers counseling and bookkeeping services to assist consumers.
Barack Obama: The long-term care system is heavily biased toward institutional care — even though most people would rather remain at home — and the quality of care is often poor. Moreover, nursing home and home care are very expensive, and Medicare coverage for both is limited, making catastrophic expenses routine. As President, I will work to give seniors choices about their care, consistent with their needs, and not biased towards institutional care. I will work to reform the financing of long-term care to protect seniors and families from impoverishment or debt. I will work to improve the quality of elder care, including by giving our long-term care and geriatric workforce the respect and support they deserve and training more nurses and health care workers in geriatrics.
Partisanship aside, I agree with elements of both Obama and McCain’s responses. McCain makes a good case for consumer choice and personal responsibility in his support of Cash and Counseling and other person-centered programs. On the other hand, Obama acknowledges that long-term care is expensive and that we should develop programs that help seniors and their loved ones address these costs. It’s no coicidence that both elements are included in our Long-term Care Solution Initiative. I guess that that makes me a “purple person” when it comes to this topic. What do you think?
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Alaska Telemedicine Program Touted as National Broadband Access Model
An Alaska telemedicine program is being hailed as a model for how broadband access can benefit rural U.S. residents. During this week's Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation hearing on "Why Broadband Matters," lawmakers such as Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) stressed the geographic difference between the country's largest state and "the lower 48."
Many Alaskans, according to Stevens, live off the state's road system. "We basically have no transportation system," Stevens said. "We've got telemedicine and tele-education in Alaska far ahead of the rest of the country."
Other witnesses at the hearing noted the importance of developing broadband connections throughout the United States primarily as a larger technological need. But Jonathan Linkous, executive director of the American Telemedicine Association, detailed the broad application of the technique nationwide. "No other state has benefited more, I might add, than the state of Alaska," Linkous said. http://stevens.senate.gov/public/...
Editor's Note:
This blog first reported on "Broadband Use and Older Adults" back in 2002 when we published a report commissioned by Verizon to illustrate the quality-of-life- enhancing benefits that broadband speed provided to senior housing residents. While it is true that Alaska has been a trailblazer -- first in connectivity, and second in content delivery -- the gap is closing as the "Lower 48" catch up to the cost-savings and benefits that a broadband connection provides to both rural and urban residents. Most seniors see the benefit as they experience reduced mobility. In such cases the Internet can replace or enhance the quality of life as people age and their worlds "become smaller."
BB
Many Alaskans, according to Stevens, live off the state's road system. "We basically have no transportation system," Stevens said. "We've got telemedicine and tele-education in Alaska far ahead of the rest of the country."
Other witnesses at the hearing noted the importance of developing broadband connections throughout the United States primarily as a larger technological need. But Jonathan Linkous, executive director of the American Telemedicine Association, detailed the broad application of the technique nationwide. "No other state has benefited more, I might add, than the state of Alaska," Linkous said. http://stevens.senate.gov/public/...
Editor's Note:
This blog first reported on "Broadband Use and Older Adults" back in 2002 when we published a report commissioned by Verizon to illustrate the quality-of-life- enhancing benefits that broadband speed provided to senior housing residents. While it is true that Alaska has been a trailblazer -- first in connectivity, and second in content delivery -- the gap is closing as the "Lower 48" catch up to the cost-savings and benefits that a broadband connection provides to both rural and urban residents. Most seniors see the benefit as they experience reduced mobility. In such cases the Internet can replace or enhance the quality of life as people age and their worlds "become smaller."
BB
Elderly at ease with, adapt well to remote monitoring technology
Seniors who rely on remote monitoring technology to help them remain secure and independent do not view it as intrusive or impersonal, according to a study by a Philadelphia-based nursing home operator New Courtland Elder Services and Mendota Heights, MN-based aging services provider Healthsense. Study participants, drawn from four locations within the New Courtland network, unanimously agreed that such technology makes them feel safer and enables them to live independently longer, according to New Courtland Housing and Community Services Vice President Kim Brooks. "We thought at first that adapting to the technology would be a major issue for our residents, but clearly it was not," Brooks said. "The results of the survey demonstrate that even seniors with little or no prior exposure to this technology can readily adapt to it once they realize the improved quality of life it offers." http://www.wirelesshealthcare.co.uk/...
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
North Dakota telepharmacy project expands across country
As recently as three years ago, many elderly residents in this part of southeastern North Dakota were forced to order their medications by mail.
These days, customers have a real drugstore and can talk to a real person about their health needs — albeit via the Internet.
Thanks to the virtual pharmacy system that has been tested on the frozen prairie, the days of walking down to the general store for prescription drugs are returning to rural America.
"It's perfect," said Jim Williams, a longtime Arthur resident. "You can walk down there and it's done in a few minutes."
Most telepharmacies are staffed with registered pharmacy technicians, who usually need about two years of schooling and earn about $15 an hour in North Dakota. Some registered nurses also have been trained for the job.
The pharmacy technicians use remote cameras to contact pharmacists in another location and show them the original signed prescription, computer-generated label, stock bottle where the pills are stored and the bottle the patient will take home. Once the prescription is approved, patients have a mandatory private consultation with pharmacists through real-time video and audio.
"We can do most of the things the pharmacists do except give professional advice," said Jennifer Joyce, the pharmacy technician in Arthur. Joyce knows all of her patients on a first-name basis.
"You don't have the expense of a regular pharmacist," said Katie E. Thompson, a registered pharmacist who lives near Page. "That's the point of a telepharmacy."
North Dakota lawmakers opened the door for the telepharmacy project by passing legislation in 2001, after dozens of rural pharmacies went out of business. The project began with 10 volunteer sites in 2002 and has grown to 67 locations.
The idea is catching on in other places.
States that have changed laws to allow for remote pharmacies include Alaska, Idaho, Illinois, Montana, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont and Wyoming, along with the District of Columbia. More are on the way, according to the leader of North Dakota's project.
"We get calls every day from other states," said Ann Rathke, director of telepharmacy at North Dakota State University in Fargo. "A lot of states have used or have adopted in some way our rules, because they were out there."
Charles Peterson, dean of pharmacy at NDSU, said the rest of the country has been "watching and waiting" to see how the North Dakota project worked. "Every state is struggling with, the most part, the same issues," he said. "Access to health care in a rural setting is a problem for everyone. We have shown that this is a solution."
Rathke said it costs about $18,000 to set up a site in North Dakota, including equipment, installation and one year of Internet service. Telepharmacies pay an annual licensing fee of $175.
In most cases, pharmacy has more laws and rules than any other area of health care and many states are unwilling to make modifications or adjustments, Peterson said.
"Those other states that haven't in some cases been willing to talk about it, willing to even look at it, are being forced to look at it because North Dakota has proven this thing," Peterson said.
The first telepharmacy in Texas opened in 2002 in the town of Turkey, but only a few more have popped up since then, said Debbie Voyles, director of telemedicine at Texas Tech University. "Where there are no pharmacies, there are no doctors," she said. "Patients have to travel to see the doctors, so it's no big deal to them to have to pick up the prescriptions."
The Texas Tech pharmacy school is looking at ways to increase interest and is hoping to learn from North Dakota's success, Voyles said. Don Turner, who runs the virtual pharmacy in Turkey, said his clients are mostly elderly people who don't have access to transportation. The nearest pharmacist to the town of 400 people is about 50 miles away.
"It's a great thing for Turkey," Turner said. "I think it's just a matter of time for other small towns."
By DAVE KOLPACK, Associated Press Writer
Friday Sep 12, 6:47 AM ET
___
On the Net:
Telemedicine Information Exchange: http://tie.telemed.org
Editors Note:
We are continuing to see new and exciting ways for our seniors and elderly population to make use of the Internet to enhance their quality of life. Maybe in the future there will be a telepharmacist on every CCRC, ALF and SNF campus.
BB
These days, customers have a real drugstore and can talk to a real person about their health needs — albeit via the Internet.
Thanks to the virtual pharmacy system that has been tested on the frozen prairie, the days of walking down to the general store for prescription drugs are returning to rural America.
"It's perfect," said Jim Williams, a longtime Arthur resident. "You can walk down there and it's done in a few minutes."
Most telepharmacies are staffed with registered pharmacy technicians, who usually need about two years of schooling and earn about $15 an hour in North Dakota. Some registered nurses also have been trained for the job.
The pharmacy technicians use remote cameras to contact pharmacists in another location and show them the original signed prescription, computer-generated label, stock bottle where the pills are stored and the bottle the patient will take home. Once the prescription is approved, patients have a mandatory private consultation with pharmacists through real-time video and audio.
"We can do most of the things the pharmacists do except give professional advice," said Jennifer Joyce, the pharmacy technician in Arthur. Joyce knows all of her patients on a first-name basis.
"You don't have the expense of a regular pharmacist," said Katie E. Thompson, a registered pharmacist who lives near Page. "That's the point of a telepharmacy."
North Dakota lawmakers opened the door for the telepharmacy project by passing legislation in 2001, after dozens of rural pharmacies went out of business. The project began with 10 volunteer sites in 2002 and has grown to 67 locations.
The idea is catching on in other places.
States that have changed laws to allow for remote pharmacies include Alaska, Idaho, Illinois, Montana, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont and Wyoming, along with the District of Columbia. More are on the way, according to the leader of North Dakota's project.
"We get calls every day from other states," said Ann Rathke, director of telepharmacy at North Dakota State University in Fargo. "A lot of states have used or have adopted in some way our rules, because they were out there."
Charles Peterson, dean of pharmacy at NDSU, said the rest of the country has been "watching and waiting" to see how the North Dakota project worked. "Every state is struggling with, the most part, the same issues," he said. "Access to health care in a rural setting is a problem for everyone. We have shown that this is a solution."
Rathke said it costs about $18,000 to set up a site in North Dakota, including equipment, installation and one year of Internet service. Telepharmacies pay an annual licensing fee of $175.
In most cases, pharmacy has more laws and rules than any other area of health care and many states are unwilling to make modifications or adjustments, Peterson said.
"Those other states that haven't in some cases been willing to talk about it, willing to even look at it, are being forced to look at it because North Dakota has proven this thing," Peterson said.
The first telepharmacy in Texas opened in 2002 in the town of Turkey, but only a few more have popped up since then, said Debbie Voyles, director of telemedicine at Texas Tech University. "Where there are no pharmacies, there are no doctors," she said. "Patients have to travel to see the doctors, so it's no big deal to them to have to pick up the prescriptions."
The Texas Tech pharmacy school is looking at ways to increase interest and is hoping to learn from North Dakota's success, Voyles said. Don Turner, who runs the virtual pharmacy in Turkey, said his clients are mostly elderly people who don't have access to transportation. The nearest pharmacist to the town of 400 people is about 50 miles away.
"It's a great thing for Turkey," Turner said. "I think it's just a matter of time for other small towns."
By DAVE KOLPACK, Associated Press Writer
Friday Sep 12, 6:47 AM ET
___
On the Net:
Telemedicine Information Exchange: http://tie.telemed.org
Editors Note:
We are continuing to see new and exciting ways for our seniors and elderly population to make use of the Internet to enhance their quality of life. Maybe in the future there will be a telepharmacist on every CCRC, ALF and SNF campus.
BB
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