Not Your Grandma's Assisted Living

In this episode of Gravity Healthcare Hacks, host Melissa Brown, COO of Gravity Healthcare Consulting, challenges the status quo of assisted living activities. Inspired by a chilling tale of an abandoned assisted living facility, Melissa explores how current activities calendars often fail to engage today’s residents—those whose formative years were shaped by the 70s, 80s, and 90s. She shares insights on how to rethink activities and experiences, making senior living more relevant and exciting for modern generations. Tune in for practical tips and inspiration to create a vibrant, engaging community that residents will love.

Learn how to think beyond “what Grandma would have liked” and start asking, “What do our residents truly want?”

Find out how to bring fresh energy to your activities calendar in time for the new year!

Transcript

Hello everyone, and welcome to our podcast today, "Not Your Grandma's Assisted Living." I heard a chilling story this week that I want to share with you. It’s really inspired some thoughts about the projects we’re working on and how we need to rethink the way we design the assisted living and senior living experience.

Here’s the story that made me stop in my tracks: A colleague of mine, who’s really into ghost hunting, visited an assisted living facility that had been abandoned for 30 years. The original activities calendar was still posted in the hallway, and almost every activity listed was the same as what we’re still doing today. That realization hit me hard—we’re repeating the same activities now that were done decades ago.

This got me thinking about the demographics of today’s residents. Most entering assisted living are around 75 or 80, meaning they were born between 1945 and 1950. Their most formative years were during the 70s, 80s, and 90s. If we compare that to the typical activities calendar, it’s clear we’re missing the mark.

What kinds of activities would resonate with people whose prime years were in the 70s, 80s, and 90s? If you don’t know, ask your residents. What would they love to do? What did they enjoy most in the past 10 years? Maybe it’s time to consider things like scrapbooking classes or music from their era. Sure, theme days with older music are fun occasionally, but the focus should be on creating a dynamic and engaging experience for today’s residents—not just replicating “what Grandma would have liked.”

We need to think about how to make our communities places where residents feel full of life and excited to participate. Before moving into assisted living, many residents led vibrant lives. Even if that slowed in the last few years before their transition, moving into assisted living can free them from responsibilities like home maintenance and bills, giving them energy to explore hobbies and interests.

It’s something to think about as we head into the new year. I want to thank everyone I’ve worked with this year—you’re doing an amazing job serving your residents. If you’d like to learn more about me or Gravity Healthcare Consulting, don’t hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn.

And remember, it’s not just what you know but how you apply it that makes all the difference. See you next time!