With the exception of Victoria, we are hearing salespeople and marketers are experiencing a new, heightened enquiry level from the children of ageing parents, especially of distant parents.
They are seriously looking for the ‘safe harbour’ for mum and dad, and being forceful at a level we have not seen before. They are a new customer for the village value proposition, given their urgency.
We did a quick analysis of 100 email requests to villages for information from our portal villages.com.au, and over 70 were from the kids. This compares to an average of around 20% pre-COVID.
The vulnerability of frail, elderly people living alone, and the fear of venturing out, has been rammed home by COVID. This is coming out starkly in the early stages of our 2020 Prospect Profile research study as we write.
Our lead researcher, Megan, has spent an average of 100 minutes interviewing 37 people aged 60 to 85 so far in their family homes. She reports for them, the future is now real; it is no longer being pushed to the background, especially amongst women. They are questioning the very foundations of their own security in the family home.
Talking to LDK CEO Paul Browne this week, he tells us his new Canberra village which offers ‘a one move promise’ with a membership care support program, delivered 10 sales in May.
Opened to residents moving in late in January, he already has ramped up the security promise by having 23 Personal Carers (Certificate III qualified) on staff plus six RNs and a Clinical Case Manager.At his second village, The Landings in Sydney, with approximately 280 residents, he has 15 Personal Carers, three RNs and a Village Care Manager. Resales are strong.
This new COVID customer and rising sentiment amongst traditional customers is a great opportunity for the sector if it gets its messaging correct – to achieve strong sales and deliver great outcomes for residents (and their kids).
