Tag: bob kramer

At our latest Sales and Marketing Roundtable, we welcomed Bob Kramer—co-founder of NIC and founder of Nexus Insights—who’s known as a “disruptive force” in senior living. Bob urged us to challenge stereotypes about aging and reframe it as an aspirational stage of life filled with purpose and possibility.

He shared insights on the dangers of ageism, the value of older adults as problem solvers, and the growing demand for personalized, engaging communities. His message was clear: senior living isn’t just about adding years, it’s about helping people thrive in them.

SHIFT FROM AVOIDANCE TO ASPIRATION

Embrace the transition from offering “avoidance products” to “aspirational products” in senior living. Focus on enhancing the quality of life and wellness over mere longevity, fostering environments that encourage engagement and purpose for those in their 60s, 70s, 80s and beyond.

VALUE OF OLDER ADULTS AS PROBLEM SOLVERS

Older adults play a crucial role in addressing societal challenges like workforce gaps, loneliness and healthcare costs. Recognize them as assets who contribute through work, volunteering, and mentorship, transforming perceptions from seeing them as burdens to seeing them as problem solvers.

FOCUS ON PERSONALIZED CARE

Boomers seek personalized experiences, which technology and AI can now enable more affordably. Shift from uniform services to customized engagements that address individual wants and needs in real-time, improving overall care and experience..

EXPAND MULTIGENERATIONAL AND COMMUNITY LIVING

There is a rising trend towards multigenerational and smaller community clusters, offering varied living options. Encourage these setups to foster personal connections and shared family experiences, enriching the living environments for all ages.

LANGUAGE SHIFTS AND ASPIRATIONAL LIVING

Rethink terms like “senior moment” and “senior living,” which carry outdated connotations. Instead, promote concepts like “next stage living,” emphasizing possibilities for community, engagement, and thriving in later years, moving beyond stereotypes and limitations.

Varsity’s Roundtable is a weekly virtual gathering of senior living marketers and leaders from across the nation. For updates about future weekly Roundtable gatherings, submit your name and email address here. 

QUOTES

“Ageism is prejudice against our future selves.” (Bob)

“At age 75, it’s too late for me to change society’s attitudes that are going to affect my aging well. It’s not too late for you.” (Bob)

“We really now have a new stage of life which increased longevity has made possible.” (Bob)

“The largest untapped workforce in America are older adults 55 to 80.” (Bob)

“The age group with the highest incidence reported of loneliness are young people 18 to 29, far greater than those over 75.” (Bob)

“Will (our efforts) eliminate ageism? No, it won’t. But will it change some attitudes? Yes.” (Bob)

“We have to think in a longevity economy, how do we turn increased longevity into a bonus for the individuals and for our society at large?” (Bob)

“Necessity and opportunity both give me hope.” (Bob)

NOTES

Bob Kramer is a nationally recognized expert in aging and senior living, co-founder of the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing and Care (NIC), and founder of Nexus Insights. He is renowned for his innovative approaches to transforming the perception and care of aging populations.

Nexus Insights is a think tank dedicated to advancing bold ideas and disruptive models that support aging well. The organization focuses on integrating diverse perspectives to address the challenges and opportunities associated with increased longevity and aging services.

Bob Kramer has been a pivotal figure in reshaping the senior housing landscape, advocating for a shift from an ageist narrative to one that sees aging as a period of contribution and value. His work has greatly influenced investment in senior housing and care, and he remains a key thought leader in the field through his continued advocacy for innovative, person-centered aging services.

Bob emphasizes the need to challenge the negative and fearful perceptions of aging, highlighting that ageism is essentially prejudice against our future selves.

He encourages young people to shift their views on aging by illustrating that statistically, many will live to be 100, making it crucial to combat ageist stereotypes early.

Bob discusses the untapped potential of older adults as a vital workforce segment, especially in addressing challenges like healthcare where their involvement could be transformative.

He notes that loneliness is more prevalent among younger age groups and suggests intergenerational programs as an effective solution to this issue.

Bob critiques terms like “silver tsunami” for their negative implications, arguing instead for a perspective that sees increased longevity as a societal bonus rather than a curse.

Technology and data are seen as crucial for future aging services, enabling more efficient and preventative healthcare where actionable data drives better quality of life.

He stresses the importance of redefining senior living environments to focus on life engagement and growth rather than decline and dependency.

Nexus Insights was founded to foster innovation in aging services, bringing together diverse viewpoints to drive effective and compassionate transformations in how society approaches longevity and elder care.

As the co-founder of the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing and Care (NIC) and founder of Nexus Insights, Bob Kramer has been called a “disruptive force” in the field, always challenging us to think differently about aging, housing and care.

In the newest episode of Roundtable Talk, Bob challenged the prevailing negative perceptions of aging, describing ageism as a prejudice against our future selves. He also highlighted the significant, yet overlooked, potential of older adults in the workforce and addresses the epidemic of loneliness.

The following are some fresh perspectives from the conversation. Check out the full episode here. 

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BIGGEST MISCONCEPTIONS THAT AMERICANS HAVE ABOUT AGING?

I think first and foremost, and this has really come about sort of since World War II and really with the boomers, and that is aging is bad. Aging is something to be feared. Aging is something negative. I spend a lot of time teaching on college campuses, and I like to point out that ageism is prejudice against our future selves. I’ll have students write down what age they think they’ll live to, and then I show them that statistically, over half of them will live to 100. I tell them, if you don’t work to change these ageist stereotypes, you’ll be consigned to irrelevance for the last third of your lives.

WHAT TRENDS ARE YOU SEEING IN HOW SENIOR LIVING IS EVOLVING?

A lot of the trends we’re seeing now were accelerated by COVID. The pandemic pushed our field out of the 20th century into the digital age. Older adults and their families discovered on-demand services—healthcare, groceries, anything delivered where they live. Consumers today are more sophisticated and savvy. They’re not just asking how many years they’ll live—they’re asking if those will be thrive years. They want environments that add life to their years, not just years to their life.

HOW WILL TECHNOLOGY AND DATA SHAPE THE FUTURE OF AGING SERVICES?

Technology and data are absolutely transformative. Senior care will always be a high-touch field, but it also needs to be high-tech. The role of technology is to enable staff to work to the limits of their license instead of being buried in paperwork. AI and data can help identify which residents are most at risk each day, allowing caregivers to prioritize time and attention. That’s how we turn data into actionable care—predictive, preventative, and personalized.

WHY DO YOU TAKE ISSUE WITH THE TERM “SILVER TSUNAMI”?

Because it’s deeply ageist. Nobody ever thinks of a tsunami as a good thing—it’s an unmitigated disaster. So when we call the aging population a “silver tsunami,” we’re framing longevity as a problem instead of one of humanity’s greatest achievements. It turns the longevity bonus into a longevity curse. We should be asking, how do we make the most of increased longevity, both for individuals and society?

HOW WELL IS U.S. POLICY ALIGNED WITH THE NEEDS OF AN AGING POPULATION?

We’re not aligned at all. The public sector alone can’t meet the needs ahead. We need to incentivize private sector solutions and empower nonprofit and community organizations. Right now, both government programs and market dynamics are pushing people into what I call the “forgotten middle”—too rich to qualify for subsidies but too poor for private pay. That’s unsustainable, and the pressure on local and state governments will only grow over the next decade.

WHAT GIVES YOU THE MOST HOPE ABOUT THE FUTURE OF AGING IN AMERICA?

The value of the contributions older adults want to make—and the fact that society needs them. Whether it’s workforce participation, volunteering, or supporting preventative health, older adults will be central to addressing the challenges ahead. Necessity and opportunity are coming together, and that gives me real hope.

Want to hear more from Bob? Check out the full episode of Roundtable Talk for more fresh perspectives. Watch new episodes of Roundtable Talk on the Varsity website and on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and iHeartRadio.