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Looking Through a Different Lens
The other day we highlighted a new commercial from Erickson, an innovator in the Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) field.
A few other interesting things from Erickson. They have a blog called e-chronicles here. They’ve done some very neat things in reaching out to their customers and beyond. The Erickson Tribune, which has become a lifestyle newspaper, that goes to 6.5 million people. They’ve also started Retirement TV, a cable television network.
In addition Erickson also has underwritten a new undergraduate and graduate school program at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. It’s mission: To prepare a community of leaders who will use their education to improve society by enhancing the lives of older adults.
Erickson has a number of resources that most organizations in senior housing and long-term care dream of. According to a 2006 Baltimore Sun article, Erickson planned to spend $20 million on their newspaper.
But how they think and approach things is applicable to all organizations in terms of innovation: they have looked at aging differently and through that lens have developed new niches and met people’s desires in senior housing and aging services that weren’t being served.
What other innovative ideas have you seen out there that are looking at aging differently?
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This entry was posted on Thursday, July 26th, 2007 at 11:29 am and is filed under Changing Aging, Innovation & Technology in the Age Wave, Technology, Vital Successful Aging, marketing and public relations. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
July 26th, 2007 at 8:19 pm
I do not believe society is adjusting well to the explosion of an aging population which is largely being ignored in a youth-obsessed culture.
This this is a dramatic trend which is beginning to reach deeply into ill-prepared government, business and private organizations large and small. Anything the educational establishment can do to advance preparedness is certainly welcome.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:56 am
Robert, you hit it head on. There’s an interesting presentation by the Minnesota Department of Human Services that says Minnesota is facing a “Hurricane Katrina” in terms of preparation for the age wave. It’s actually much wider spread . . . . the country is facing this.
August 15th, 2007 at 8:07 pm
In one of the CNN debates, Bill Richardson was asked what ought to be done about the coming age wave, or words to that effect. His answer basically was that it’s something that should be looked into.
I think that may be the only time the topic has been openly broached so far in the race. Certainly, there are much more pressing domestic issues such as gay marriage, abortion and tax cuts.:)
August 16th, 2007 at 6:45 pm
You’re right. It’s wacked. It’s one of those things that will get louder, though.