Traveling is certainly the very best way to a) rejuvenate b) expand horizons and c) learn from others who have a different viewpoint. Marketing to seniors in the USA is really different from marketing to seniors in other countries. Our lifestyle in the USA is fast and furious and the support services needed for our elderly are not as broad as in many European countries. Also the respect and reverence that comes with aging is something that we really should work on here at home.

The one thing that stands out in marketing services to seniors is that age is just not a factor of many commonalities, in interest, activity or needs. Having said this, some things are common in aging: wrinkles and hair changes. However, these may come at 50 or 90, depending on the genetics, the lifestyle, and the location of the person. Frailty is the cause of many of those things that are related to age, and frailty can come at any age with an accident or an illness.

This targeting seniors should be relegated to things either related specifically to age, like discounts, or to those services which do attract more users who are age defined, like home care and long term living facilities. Even in these markets, however, age is not really the common factor. It is wealth, diagnosis, and geography.

Seniors in the US who have retired need something to fill up those hours that used to be spent working. Seniors in the US need services to fill in when frailty does occur. Seniors in the US need resources for information when they are needed.

So, how does one target a senior market in the US? First, you have to understand who buys the service. In many cases it is the adult child who is buying, and not the senior. And how does this differ from European countries? Families are closer together as Europe is simply smaller in geography. Also family leave time is greater in most countries in Europe. And, as I mentioned earlier, support services and medical services tend to be more readily available in most western European countries.

Like most things we tend to only know what we know and what we experience. Rejuvenating, expanding horizons and learning from others is bound to have a positive effect on results.