There are some very interesting insights emerging from the research posted thus far. A few interesting topics that stood out to me:
- The importance of connecting with others – community, pets, and especially family
- Retirement facilities that do it well seem to have figured out how to address the retirees needs – how about the family members that aren’t there? Are their needs met? And how can you replicate the retirement facility “taking care of me” feeling with technology?
- The comment around healthcare professionals being condescending. How widespread is this feeling? Is this a doctor? Nurse? Other?
- The “sandwich generation” that cares for parents and children, in both cases, is reliant on getting information that their parents (or children) are willing to share. And while they feel they could be more helpful with more information, this is also the element of ignorance being bliss. The more they know, the more stressed they may be.
- Parents today may retire wherever their kids are. What is the impact of the social needs on this? How about on the kids that will become the destination of their parents? How often does this happen? I have quite a few friends here in South Bend that became the destination for their parent’s retirement. I assumed that ND played a big role in this, but maybe not?
- There is great pride in being independent.
- Retirees / aging individuals are “stubborn”. Or are they fighting for that independence?