I'm honored to offer a guest blog written by Marla Levie Craven BSW, MA. ?Marla is President and Founder of Focus on Aging, and has successfully been providing marketing consulting, social media and recruiting services to the elder care market and to other service-related professions in the Chicago area for over 20 years. Marla published this blog on February 18, 2012. Please enjoy!
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As our family members begin to age, long term, quality care can become a big ?concern. Most ? ? ? ?would prefer to become the primary caretaker but many times it is ?not an option due to work ? ? ? ?schedules, space constraints and resistance from the ?aging relative still desiring independence and ?not wanting to move in with a ?relative. First thoughts for many go to assisted living facilities and ?nursing ?homes.? However, costs and proximity can be an issue for some family members. Just recently an alternative solution, in the ever expanding elder care market, has popped up that may appease both the family and the older adult in need of care.
Kenneth Dupin, a Virginia Minister, understood the need for another option for senior care. While Dupin was pursuing his doctoral degree, his studies took him to countries abroad where he made the observation that other cultures had a much different attitude towards the aging than there was here in the United States. Caring for elderly family members was an honor in other countries. Bringing them into the home and sharing the emotional and financial responsibility was a given. These observations gave Dupin an idea to develop a dwelling, equipped with the latest technology, in which the elderly adult can live right on their family member?s property, giving peace of mind to all by knowing they are so close. He dubbed his creation Med Cottage.
The Med Cottage is approximately 300 square feet and comes equipped with some notable features including a lift, video system for checking in on the older adult, special lighting on both the floor and ceiling, and technology to dispense medications and monitor vital signs.
The cost? The Cottage is $85,000 plus another $5000 for the software. The company will buy the building back for half of the purchase price when no longer needed. Look for the Med Cottages in the backyards of the Chicago area in about another year. ?This is another very creative and useful idea to market to seniors and their families.
I am always amazed at the new and creative products being designed and marketed to the elderly. The aging field is burgeoning daily and it is and has been an honor to work in such an exciting industry. - Marla Levie
To learn more about Focus on Aging, use the contact tab to e-mail Marla for additional information about her services and follow her @ElderMarketGuru on Twitter.
What are your thoughts about Med Cottages?
Learn more @AgingInChicago on Twitter
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