Other findings indicate growing expectations for hotel-like amenities,
such as fresh, convenient food items, comfort and ambiance
PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
New public opinion survey results announced today in conjunction with
the start of the Assisted Living Federation of America's (ALFA) 2014
Conference & Exposition reveal that those selecting a senior living
community for themselves or a loved one place a high priority on
cleanliness, healthy and convenient food options, and hotel-like
amenities.
With an estimated 70 percent of people who reach age 65 needing some
form of long-term service and support1, Ecolab Inc. recently
commissioned a survey of 400 Americans involved in selecting senior
living communities to determine how these decisions are made, the
factors that influence these decisions, and the expectations for
services and amenities offered by senior living communities.
"Choosing a community for a loved one is highly emotional. In fact, more
than half of the respondents reported that this was one of the most
emotional decisions they've ever made," said Leah Larson, director of
Long Term Care Marketing for Ecolab's Institutional business. "And, with
10,000 people turning 65 years old today, and every day until the year
2029, exponentially more people will make these important decisions each
day."
First Impressions Count: 93 Percent Say Cleanliness Linked to Quality
of Care
When asked whether they agreed that "If a community isn't clean, it
suggests to me that the staff might not take good care of the
residents," 93 percent agreed. Moreover, 96 percent ranked "cleanliness"
as important or extremely important when choosing a senior living
community; women are twice as likely as men to say cleanliness is their
top priority.
"This research confirmed what we intuitively know to be true. First
impressions count, especially when it comes to cleanliness," said
Larson. "Ecolab's field sales-and-service teams and research and
development experts work inside customer locations, alongside
housekeeping, laundry and foodservice staffs, to learn about and develop
solutions for the unique cleaning and sanitizing challenges in senior
living communities."
Larson added that cleaning a resident's room is similar in process to
cleaning a hotel room, but more challenging in that special
consideration must be given to the presence of residents and their
personal belongings. In addition, a focus on infection prevention is of
higher importance due to potentially compromised immune systems.
Concerning laundry, Larson added that resident skin sensitivity may be
an issue, so it's important to have the right laundry solution to help
reduce the occurrences of bed sores. Finally, she said overall
cleanliness has a direct correlation to both the perception of care and
the actual delivery of a positive resident experience.
"This depth of knowledge allows us to personally train staffs across
several areas of the facility about: 1) housekeeping protocols and
products that efficiently and effectively clean and disinfect rooms; 2)
laundry wash processes and chemistry that help keep linens clean, while
helping to reduce skin irritations for residents and the cost of linen
replacement for management; and 3) food safety and kitchen cleaning and
sanitizing procedures and products to help reduce the risk of foodborne
illness, while achieving commercial kitchen sanitation levels and
spotless tableware for residents and guests."
High Expectations for Healthy, Convenient Foods: 71 Percent Want Room
Service
The survey also showed that senior living communities today are expected
to offer fresh, healthy foods along with convenience. In fact, 85
percent of respondents ranked quality and variety of food as important.
They also had high expectations for specific food and dining options in
senior living communities, reminiscent of what might be found in a
hotel. For instance, 71 percent want room service, 66 percent expect a
coffee shop, 78 percent expect a bakery or fresh baked goods and
desserts, and 82 percent expect a fresh salad bar. About 20 percent
expect access to an on-site bar or pub.
Hillcrest Health Services, near Omaha, Neb., an organization serving
aging adults that utilizes Ecolab products and solutions in their
foodservice, housekeeping and laundry operations, is an example of how
these hotel-like foodservice expectations are being brought to life.
"Our ‘Culinary Vision', which includes in-room dining services, multiple
dining room options and an eat-in bistro with made-to-order specialties,
centers around the concept of providing patients and residents choices
about when, where and what they can eat while they are staying with us,"
said Tim Irwin, Hillcrest's vice president of Operations. "In the near
future, we'll again offer a bistro and resort-style dining - as well as
an on-site pub - at our new Grand Lodge."
Bring on the "Extras"
When asked to rank a list of features in order of priority when
considering an independent or assisted living community, answers varied
depending upon whether the respondents were making the decision for
themselves or a loved one.
For those making decisions as the resident, comfort and ambiance of
their living space ranked number one, followed by services and amenities
and safe layout. If making the decision for someone else, a caring staff
ranked at the top of the list.
Regardless of the role of the respondent, when asked about the
importance of several services and amenities, many said frequency of
cleaning/laundry services (82 percent) is a priority, as is in-house
exercise and recreational activities (72 percent) and access to in-room
WiFi (43 percent).
"This research indicates that one size does not fit all when it comes to
selecting a senior living community, and different decision makers have
different priorities," said Larson.
"What does all this mean? First, for our company, we need to continue
innovating products and educating our customers around maintaining the
highest standards of cleanliness - as it is one of the most important
factors in selecting a senior living community. Second, our customers
should continue to invest in creating vibrant senior living communities
that deliver on the higher expectations of this generation. And finally,
the long-term care industry needs to find ways to differentiate
independent and assisted living from nursing care, and increase
awareness about the opportunity to maintain a vibrant lifestyle as the
need for senior living communities skyrockets in the near future."
To learn more about Ecolab's custom solutions in the long term care
industry, as well as other key market segments such as foodservice,
lodging and facility care, visit www.ecolab.com.
About Ecolab
A trusted partner at more than one million customer locations, Ecolab
(ECL) is the global leader in water, hygiene and energy technologies and
services that protect people and vital resources. With 2013 sales of $13
billion and 45,000 associates, Ecolab delivers comprehensive solutions
and on-site service to promote safe food, maintain clean environments,
optimize water and energy use and improve operational efficiencies for
customers in the food, healthcare, energy, hospitality and industrial
markets in more than 170 countries around the world. For more Ecolab
news and information, visit www.ecolab.com.
About Hillcrest Health Services
Hillcrest Health Services offers the region's largest continuum of
health services for aging adults, including independent and assisted
living, in-patient and outpatient rehabilitation, long-term care, memory
support, adult day services, certified skilled home health and private
duty home care, palliative care, telehealth services, and hospice care.
Hillcrest currently serves nearly 1,000 aging adults daily across eight
counties in Nebraska and Iowa. For more information, visit www.hillcresthealth.com
or call (402) 682-4800.
1 2014 Medicare & You, National Medicare Handbook, Centers
for Medicare & Medicaid Services, September 2013.
(ECL-P)
Ecolab Inc.
Roman Blahoski, 651-293-4385
MediaRelations@Ecolab.com
Source: Ecolab Inc.
News Provided by Acquire Media