Marketing to Seniors

[Pompal 09.]

My community has a senior services center. We also have a couple of retirement centers (2 upscale, 1 income based). I don't think any of them are actual 'nursing homes'. Anyway, it's a pretty active senior population. Complete with a monthly calendar of events. There has to be a way of getting to them.

I could offer to do a talk on the benefits of massage for seniors (I figure worth at least a 1/2 hour).

But there is a problem. I don't have an office locally. I would hate to offer my services but then tell them that "sorry, you have to drive all the way across town to get to me." Maybe contact the retirement centers and offer massage services at a reduced rate if they provide the room?

any ideas?

 

[Cynthia rodriguez]

AV8TRX
You might consider PMing Rose of Sharon. Sharon also has a mobile service and she markets to at least 2 or 3 senior complexes that I know of.
You can read more about one of her experiences there on this thread:
http://www.massageplanet.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4386

 

[Rock Or Something]

I received a call once to offer reflexology at a senior center for a discounted rate. I didn't end up taking it but the setup was something like this: they would provide the room, I would bring in the portable chair, stereo, linens, etc... They wanted me there two days a month to start, they would book the sessions for me from their front desk and I would show up for the four or five hour block of time and work on people.

I wouldn't see why you couldn't call the center and see if they would provide you the room and set out a sign up sheet. These types of centers are always looking for value added stuff to compete with the other centers. I think they would be very excited to offer a massage therapist a few times a month to their members. Or to just have you "on call" for sessions. Definately do some workshops, maybe a series. If there are sports available at the upscale centers offer some workshops: "stretches to improve your golf game" or "tennis elbow relief fast!" Maybe you could leave informational brochures at the front desk on various elder populations: diabetes and massage, the importance of touch, etc...

Hope this information helps you brainstorm!

 

[Sea Of Love]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll definitely consider some of them.

 

[Cathy :)]

Hi. I go into several senior apartment complexes, nursing homes, and assisted living homes. I have gone into a senior center, too, and am trying to get into 4 different ones right now. I've only made initial contact, but will follow up in the next few days.

I have a set schedule. I go to one home every Monday afternoon. Another one is the first Monday of each month, mornings. I go to one senior apartment complex on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month, and another one on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays. I put a sign up sheet in the lobby about a week in advance, then the day before, I check in to see how many are signed up and what times. It is pretty consistent, so it is nice. The day I go in, I set up my table - one place is in the workout room, one is the beauty shop room that is used M-W-F. I give the clients a 40% discount because the management gives me the convenience of having the space.

Feel free to ask any questions. Since I am working on doing this at more places, we can walk through it together!

 

[Terrex C]

This topic has been silent for a while but I can offer some "maybe" help.
If I was to market to the senior centers, I would make sure to obtain "geriatric certification". You know how to massage seniors but a diploma for geriatric is a good marketing tool. It may incline the balancd to hire you instead of someone else.

Also, you would understand a little more about the senior, and the "fragile".
For a "fragile", 20 minutes on the table may be all they can take, and some more on a chair perhaps. The intake for geriatric is somehow longer and they tend to have to tell you very important things so be ready to listen. Also they need help dressing and undressing or just getting on the table. Sometines you have to wheel them in or go to their own rooms where they get the massage seating on their own chairs

Pricing is about the same as an hour since there is so much involved. You also need to be very particular about the SOAP notes.

Geriatric Massage can do a world of diference to this population and it is also much more involved so don't cheat yourself. I don't think that hairdressers attending the retirement home give discounts either.

The center should book and collect the money on advance which would save you lots of time.

I took the training for geriatric massage at Sunsine Institute, you may find more on-line.

Good luck!

Yon
Yon

 

[Top Model]

This topic has been silent for a while but I can offer some "maybe" help.
If I was to market to the senior centers, I would make sure to obtain "geriatric certification". You know how to massage seniors but a diploma for geriatric is a good marketing tool. It may incline the balancd to hire you instead of someone else.

Also, you would understand a little more about the senior, and the "fragile".
For a "fragile", 20 minutes on the table may be all they can take, and some more on a chair perhaps. The intake for geriatric is somehow longer and they tend to have to tell you very important things so be ready to listen. Also they need help dressing and undressing or just getting on the table. Sometines you have to wheel them in or go to their own rooms where they get the massage seating on their own chairs

Pricing is about the same as an hour since there is so much involved. You also need to be very particular about the SOAP notes.

Geriatric Massage can do a world of diference to this population and it is also much more involved so don't cheat yourself. I don't think that hairdressers attending the retirement home give discounts either.

The center should book and collect the money on advance which would save you lots of time.

I took the training for geriatric massage at Sunsine Institute, you may find more on-line.

Good luck!

Yon
Yon

 

[jramy.kiki]

This topic has been silent for a while but I can offer some "maybe" help.
If I was to market to the senior centers, I would make sure to obtain "geriatric certification". You know how to massage seniors but a diploma for geriatric is a good marketing tool. It may incline the balancd to hire you instead of someone else.

Also, you would understand a little more about the senior, and the "fragile".
For a "fragile", 20 minutes on the table may be all they can take, and some more on a chair perhaps. The intake for geriatric is somehow longer and they tend to have to tell you very important things so be ready to listen. Also they need help dressing and undressing or just getting on the table. Sometines you have to wheel them in or go to their own rooms where they get the massage seating on their own chairs

Pricing is about the same as an hour since there is so much involved. You also need to be very particular about the SOAP notes.

Geriatric Massage can do a world of diference to this population and it is also much more involved so don't cheat yourself. I don't think that hairdressers attending the retirement home give discounts either.

The center should book and collect the money on advance which would save you lots of time.

I took the training for geriatric massage at Sunsine Institute, you may find more on-line.

Good luck!

Yon
Yon

 

[krishnamoorthynagarajan]

Adding this thread as a cross reference:

Not sure if this is the right place for this-Senior Clients