Changing Aging

We’d like to introduce ”Changing Aging” readers to our North Star: our mission, vision and values.  We introduced them today throughout Ecumen.

If you’ve ever been involved in developing a mission statement, you can appreciate how difficult they can be to shape . . .and then doubly tough when you add vision and values.

But what was so cool about this process was that our board of trustees did it quickly, intuitively and decisively.  The work sessions had the help of a wonderful moderator - Dr. Louellen Essex, a leading management consultant and author (if you’re ever in need of a highly skilled navigator who helps people move through complexities, she’s at the top). 

Technology is playing a transformational role in aging services and senior housing, and that role will only grow with the age wave.

On January 30th, Kathy Bakkenist, (pictured left) Ecumen’s chief operating officer and senior vice president of strategy and operations, and Ecumen customer Honor Hacker (below left viewing a wireless QuietCare sensor in her apartment), will testify before members of the Senate Special Committee on Aging and the Senate Medical Technology Caucus.

Look for these 10 senior housing development trends from 2007 to pick up even more steam in 2008 as the age wave gains force:

1.  Congregational Senior Housing:  People want to live in nurturning, vibrant communities.  Churches want to extend their ministries, strengthen their congregations and build community.  Congregational senior housing, such as the visionary ELCA project in Sandpoint, Idaho is a win-win.

2.  College Campus Senior Housing:  Lifelong learning is a key part of successful aging.  Look for more colleges to create intergenerational communities and see the benefits of senior learners and neighbors.

Three cool things in senior housing coming over the “Changing Aging” transom:

 1.  Green Development:  More communities are embracing senior housing development that’s beneficial to people and the environment.  For example, The Residences at Creekside in Lakewood, CO, which opened earlier this year have a ton of solar power and other environmental friendly features (and it’s a cool looking building, too).

 2.  Purpose Workshops:  The Purpose Project of the University of Minnesota’s Center for Spirituality and Healing helps people answer the question, “Why Do I Want to Get Out of Bed Today?  That’s important because it’s essential to successful aging.  Augustana Homes of Minneapolis is holding Purpose Project workshops.

Do you yelp?

Yelp is one of a growing number of websites where real people (customers) give real feedback on the real service (or lack thereof) they receive.  If they love the service they get, they rave.  If the service stinks, they let you know that, too.  If the reviews are good, it’s the best possible, most authentic, least expensive advertising.

Here’s an example of what someone yelped about regarding Abbot Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis:

 AWESOME HOSPITAL!!!This hospital as a whole is absolutely FANTASTIC!!!

If you love topics of seizing what’s next, innovation and entre/intrepreneurship, check out Guy Kawasaki’s blog How to Change the World.  Guy spoke a few years ago at Mary Furlong’s Baby Boomer conference.  Both were great.

Guy (a California hockey nut; he needs to come to the real State of Hockey- The Land of 100,000 Rinks and 10,000 Lakes) isn’t in the changing aging business, but many of his blog’s insights can be adapted to it.  Innovation knows no boundaries.