Mit agelab, Nic Partner On 3-year Study To Make Senior Living More ‘aspirational and holistic’ 

The National Investment Center for Seniors Housing and Care (NIC) is partnering with the MIT AgeLab to conduct a new study meant to accelerate senior living industry evolution.

NIC is working with MIT AgeLab researchers to examine multiple sectors and to make senior living into an “aspirational and holistic experience that generations of older adults increasingly value.” The two organizations are partnering on a three-year study, “Reimagining the Future of Senior Living.”

“We want to make sure that we have a product that will not only be relevant for generations to come, but also has the potential to resonate with an even larger cohort than we touch today. As we have laid out our research agenda, this forward-thinking mindset is paramount,” Lisa McCracken, head of research and analytics at NIC, told Senior Housing News.

Researchers will analyze information from the financial services, healthcare, hospitality, pharmaceuticals, retail and technology sectors to better align with customers. The study will include “practical insights that help senior living providers design communities, services, and experiences that align with the preferences of older adults who value independence, convenience, wellness, and quality of life.” 

They will draw on feedback from consumers and industry leaders to create and refine “practical paradigms the senior living industry can adopt or adapt.” NIC is slated to share the findings at its upcoming conferences and across its various channels.

“Home is not just where a person lives. It is an extension of their lifestyle and a services platform that supports and rewards the next phase of their lives,” said MIT AgeLab Director Joe Coughlin. “This analysis will uncover what consumers want in senior housing, care, and their overall aging experience. The hope is that our work will not only serve to enhance the successful offerings of today, but lead to expanded models and innovative services that excite and delight tomorrow’s older adults and their families.”

The initiative is receiving support from a number of operators and organizations, including Benchmark Senior Living, HumanGood, National Church Residences, Parker Health Group, Inc., Franciscan Ministries, Front Porch, Masonicare Corporation, Merrill Gardens, Presbyterian Homes & Services, Senior Living Transformation Company/Centered Care and The Springs Living.

Merrill Gardens is supporting the initiative financially, and foresees the study helping the senior living industry reach and better understand its next consumers.

“The work that AgeLab has done to date before integration with senior living has just been very impressive to me,” Tana Gall, president at Merrill Gardens, told SHN. “Their work is really exceptional, and so for us as an industry to be able to partner with someone like that to really find out what the next generation consumer really wants and needs, I think is incredibly important.”

Additionally, the study will generate insights to help change how operators design communities, expand services and create new experiences to cater to older adults who value their independence, convenience, wellness and quality of life, according to the release.

In the coming months and years, McCracken said NIC will push additional communications on research insights.

“We are very proud of what our sector is today and what got us to this point, but we are also excited about the opportunity to learn and be a part of taking us into the next generation of senior living,” she said. “We are excited to have the sector be on that journey with us.”

The post MIT AgeLab, NIC Partner on 3-Year Study to Make Senior Living More ‘Aspirational and Holistic’  appeared first on Senior Housing News.