I. The Presentation
Today, many of you were present in the auditorium when we launched the strategic planning process with an educational presentation by Steve Maag, from LeadingAge. The presentation was very helpful in grounding our process and moving it forward with speciic suggesions and ideas in the context of big changes.
His four general focuses:
Changing consumer needs and expectations. From World War II, to the Silent Generation, to the Boomers, with our experience of mass communication and challenging everything, including the natural progression of life. This creates need for flexible spaces, for example. More simply, needs are being replaced by wants. Not activities rather lifestyle facilitators. Above all we expect to be part of decision-making.
Heath care systems. Huge changes in financing and incentives, moving away from fee for services to “capitated rates.” This drives need to integrate services, but also means that we are at risk of being told by hospitals that aftercare services must be provided within their system.
Residential trends here to make living spaces more like ordinary living environments, rather than corridor-based ones. Simarly “Person-Centered Care” replaces regimented care. In community services can be integrated with campus-based.
Technology. Its a foundational expectation. Customers will simply refuse to move to a place that is not on the cutting edge. Moreover, technology is making it easier for people to stay at home, so we have to make a different case for CCRCs. He highlighted a number of online services and online ordering of services that would help people stay in their homes. Moreover, we need to have the data to make our cost effectiveness cases to hospitals and other financial sources.
Workforce. The recession protected us from this, but now it is getting harder and harder to find staff. We will all have to find ways to build and retain staff and include them in the community. Some facilities are losing residents because they can not get the staff to serve them.
Generally, Steve emphasized that we will need to be more flexible and responsive. We also need to rename the concept. LeadingAge suggests “Life Plan Communities.” (Personally my reaction is that we boomers do not like to plan.)
He pointed out that 80% of seniors say they want to live in their homes. That is the competition.
One very important point in terms of Collington was the uniqueness of CCRCs in that we have skill in integrating every kind of senior service. This gives us unique leverage and influence because the trend is very much towards integration — and we know how to do it.
II. Moving Our Planning Forward
At the meeting, Executive Director Marvell Adams also announced to the community the eight working groups the Strategic Planning Committee is launching. All will involve staff, Board and residents. All will engaged in gathering visions, ideas, and approaches from the community as a whole, and indeed beyond. The workgoups are in two clusters:
Core Businesses
- Finance
- Human Capital
- Health Services
- Campus Infrastructure
Organizational Philosophy
- Community Education
- Moderate/Low Income Seniors
- Collington’s Culture
- Inter-generational Engagement
Membership is being shaped and expressions of interest in participation are encouraged.
A final note: I think we can feel very happy and optimistic that we are already doing many of things Steve talked about, and actively considering many of those he urged. The working groups are well aligned to move forward taking full advantages of the opportunities and do remain leaders.
The slide show is here. (Particularly interesting are the technology slides that list,for example, apps such as those described above.)
The video is here.