Asha Report Highlights Senior Living’s Current Challenge: ‘converting Awareness Into Action’

Senior living prospects are growing more familiar with senior living options and are interested in planning their next chapters. Now comes the hard part: Senior living operators must turn that interest into action.

That’s among the findings of a new consumer sentiment report from the American Seniors Housing Association (ASHA) and ProMatura. The survey is based on responses from lead lists of four ASHA operating company members and a list of age- and income-qualified adults from data platform Dynata.

Many consumers are already aware of active adult, independent living, assisted living and memory care communities, according to the report. But a majority of them, between 54% and 61% across those product types, have not yet visited a senior living community website, indicating that they are still not moving from awareness to action.

The researchers behind the report generally found that social connection and lifestyle benefits can drive “strong interest” among prospects. Social connection, reduced loneliness and relief from the responsibilities of living at home are “the strongest motivators” for prospects, according to the report.

While many consumers can afford senior living options, they seek cost transparency and value in whatever they choose, and they want to trust a senior living community before they move in.

“While consumers have access to information, many are still building confidence in cost, care quality, and the overall decision process,” reads the report’s executive summary.

The new report for the first time queried consumers on artificial intelligence (AI), and researchers found that consumers have widespread awareness of and are open to using it in their senior living searches. That surprised ASHA President and CEO David Schless.

“This will be fascinating to track going forward,” Schless told Senior Housing News.

Approximately 10% of survey respondents reported being “very comfortable” using AI tools to assist in their search for senior living communities, according to a press release.

The report showed that senior living operators have an opportunity to build trust and reduce friction in the senior living sales process. They can drive more action among prospects via more transparency, engagement and better human connections. Bottom-line, operators that can “reduce uncertainty and build confidence earlier are best positioned to convert interest into move-ins.”

“The most crucial takeaway from the survey is perhaps the importance of paying great attention to understanding the needs and desires of seniors housing prospective consumers, who today have more choice than ever before and are more discerning than previous cohorts of senior living customers,” Schless said.

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