A few years ago I spoke with my pastor about a challenge I faced as an adult Sunday school teacher: I couldn’t reconcile the different viewpoints and opinions voiced each week in my class. He gave me advice I still remember: “The most important thing is to meet them where they are in their journey.”
I thought of that counsel when I read an article by Jane Gross, author of A Bittersweet Season and founder of The New York Times’s “New Old Age” blog. In her piece, “I knew it was responsible to plan for my old age. So why did I keep crying?” Gross describes a trip from Manhattan to Hanover, New Hampshire to visit a continuing care retirement community (CCRC). Her account raises a question for those who work in CCRC sales: when sales counselors meet a prospective resident, are they truly meeting that person where they are in their own journey?
Walking in CCRC prospects’ shoes
People who work in CCRC sales sometimes fall into the mindset that a senior who visits the community is automatically ready to buy. That assumption can be dangerous. Prospects arrive with a mix of practical concerns and deep emotions that sales teams must acknowledge.
Gross describes the conflicted feelings she experienced on the drive: visiting a CCRC meant admitting she could not live independently forever. It felt responsible, but it also felt like loss. “I was facing the future. And I was scared,” she wrote.
Many Baby Boomers come to a CCRC with recent memories of their parents’ decline, or with experience acting as a caregiver. Those memories can be a strong motivator to explore a retirement community, especially for people who are single or childless and worry about aging without family support. Others want to avoid putting difficult caregiving decisions on their adult children. Whatever the reason, the decision to consider a CCRC is often based on personal history and anticipated future needs.
>> Related: Single & Childless: Many Baby Boomers Must Prepare to Age Alone
Sales counselors should keep in mind the wide range of emotions a prospect may feel: fear, relief, ambivalence, anxiety, hope, and even excitement. A warm smile during a tour doesn’t always reveal what a person felt during the drive to the community or what they think about changing their life. Sitting at the sales desk doesn’t mean they’re emotionally prepared to sign an agreement.
Finding peace in a CCRC
Gross also shares something many of us have witnessed firsthand: after the move and an adjustment period, many residents begin to feel at home. She recounts reaching a friend who had moved into a different CCRC and learning that the friend had also struggled emotionally at first, feeling as if the move confirmed she was “an old lady.” But after settling in, making friends, and enjoying community amenities, that friend experienced a profound sense of relief—often saying later, “I don’t know why I waited so long!”
>> Related: Can a Move to a Retirement Community Make You Healthier?
Meet prospective residents where they are
Just as my pastor advised, it’s crucial that CCRC sales counselors discern where each senior is on their journey. What feelings do they have about aging and moving? What drives them to consider a CCRC, and what worries hold them back? The best sales approach is to walk with prospective residents—listen, empathize, and support—rather than to push them toward a decision before they are ready.
Understanding the emotional landscape of each prospect, offering clear information about contracts and services, and allowing time for adjustment and reflection will help seniors make the right choice for their lives. When counselors meet prospects where they are, the result is more compassionate guidance and better long-term outcomes for residents.
Want to learn more about CCRCs?
If you are considering a move to a CCRC, we offer resources to help you understand entrance requirements, how CCRC contracts work, and the benefits of these communities. We also provide individual reports on CCRCs across the country to help you find the community that best fits your needs.