How is it that we take so little account of the elderly segment when we discuss the experience economy. The idea for this thesis came from the observation that it seemed that the experience scene for the elderly was discriminatory.
Objective of the thesis and research questions
The business of the future lies in preventive health care and creating experiences for the elderly is a valuable tool to achieve this. The thesis can be used when investigating topics on the planning of experiences and for planning future business opportunities in the field of experiences for the elderly segment.
Report structure…
The subject of this thesis is to create experiences for the elderly and below are the research questions to which the authors seek answers, based on the results of the research carried out. The idea for the research came from the author's own interest in the topic of creating experiences and from the notion that the older demographic is not represented in experience design.
Key concepts and definition
Companies should think about how all services would be treated if an acceptance fee was charged. Current nursing homes are focusing on this silent generation; therefore, facilities and experiences are designed to meet the needs of the silent generation.
Experience Pyramid model
The intellectual level is where opinions are formed from the physical perceptions of experience as well as where new knowledge is acquired. The last two levels are outside the experience that creators achieve as they are personal and subjective.
Four realms of experience
This means that if a customer or guest is virtually or physically part of the experience in a way that they "go into" the experience. This is the experience where observers become actors who are part of the staged environment.
The hierarchy of needs
According to Maslow (Green, 2000.), the physiological needs are the most basic human needs and until these needs are satisfied, all other needs become secondary. When all the needs in the first level are met, we can move to the next level.
Shared experiences
Social needs are the need for belonging and love, to be part of a group, whether that be a group of friends, family, work or in the case of the elderly, even a group of nursing home patients and staff. Maslow (Green, 2000) suggests that there is a desire for reputation and respect from others and the need for attention and recognition.
Aging and wellbeing
After three weeks, the residents of the nursing home in the first group had a noticeable improvement in their physical and mental well-being. Exercise is another factor, and he argues that even a little exercise can have a big impact on the overall well-being of seniors.
Designing experiences for elderly
A clear change in attitudes is taking place which is much needed, but it is a slow process describes Jari Piihonen, who is currently writing his PhD thesis on the good life for the elderly in care homes (Vanhalakka, 2015. ). It can also lead to negative effects if it is poorly designed and if staff are stressed and unwell, it can have negative consequences on the elderly and vice versa. When designing care homes, consideration should be given to creating spaces where experiences can take place as experiences can have a positive effect on the well-being of the elderly (Folkhälsan The World Health Organization defines active aging as "the process of optimizing opportunities for health, participation and safety in order to improve quality of life as we age.” (Viglund, 2013).
For the same reason, it is good to know where doorways, steps are located, as well as materials or terrain at the place where the participants must walk. Although many elderly people have been reported to have reduced taste perception when eating, they still have oral somatic sensations from the texture of food (Fukunaga, Uematsu, Sugimoto 2005.).
Ageism
Last year, the Peabody Essex Museum held an exhibition consisting of a multi-sensory experience using scents and tactile stations. Spoken narration and infographics were also used; it was the museum's first attempt to incorporate ideas from brain science into the artworks. The elderly should be treated with respect, one of the reasons being their particular vulnerability.
As people age, it is natural to think about mortality and especially those dealing with illness and injury can suddenly be closer to death. It is the responsibility of the younger generation to change their view of the elderly by showing support and empathy towards them so that they can find motivation to live a meaningful life after making this realization (Nordenfelt.
Business Opportunity in the Experience Field
Technology and elderly
Speaking on behalf of the older generation, Aira claims that the elderly who live at home and can take care of themselves using new technology even make their relatives happy when they know their grandmother is doing well. Her house is equipped with technology in every room, there are sensors that send a message to her granddaughter if she has fallen or if she leaves the doors open. The elderly should not be afraid of technology according to Samulin, it can really be of great use (Larsson, 2016.) Technology can also be used for social interactions.
There are many prejudices about the use of technology among the elderly, both towards the elderly by younger generations and among the elderly who tend to think they have done well without computers for so long and now see no point in using them. Morris suggests that the concept of computers should be shifted to using tablets which are more intuitive and easy to use.
Social Media use among elderly
It is time to see the wrinkles as beautiful, to make the field of elderly work desirable and to create new success stories for Finland by supporting the well-being of the elderly” (Proud Age, 2017). The aim of the group is to activate the elderly so that they can make dancing their hobby. This type of experience with motivators such as free entry may interest the elderly population today.
The older generation who grew up in hard times and have become accustomed to saving their hard earned money and taking advantage of discounts and stuff for free. However, as mentioned earlier, every generation is different and we need to study their needs and interests for the future to design experiences that benefit both the elderly and the experience economy.
Research Methodology
Focus Group
Focus Group Introduction
The results of the previous customer satisfaction survey show that residents are very satisfied with Saga. Most participants agreed that it would be nice to learn more languages and other skills. Some focus group participants had trouble remembering when they last learned something new.
To summarize the results of the focus group responses, experiences are important for the elderly at Saga. All the focus group participants agreed that moving to Saga was the right decision and were happy to call it their new home.
Does experience matter Saga senior residents?
Saga Care Finland
The well-being of the residents is maintained by the physiotherapists, the spa and hairdressing and hairdressing services. The program is designed and planned by the internal event coordinator and residents have the opportunity to influence the program. Due to the proximity of each other, both houses have the same management team and several staff members work on both sides.
However, the residents have a strong sense of community within the building and are proud to live in their chosen senior home. The event coordinator works in both houses and most programs are provided on both sides.
Focus group participants
Results of the focus group questions
Some of the participants indicated that the development of new friendships with other residents and staff at Saga had made their stay more enjoyable. Many of the other participants agreed that the process is difficult, but all agree that the choice to move here was the right one. Activities and some stimulation during the day were so important that it was mentioned as a highlight by some of the participants from focus group number one.
Many of the participants described their favorite part of the day as something in their routine and the comfort of living in a service home and its acceptance. After a period of amazement, many of the participants remembered when they learned using the computer and found it interesting.
Discussion
- Conclusion and suggestions
- Evaluation of the thesis process
- Ethical consideration and reliability of research
- Limitations of the research
The survey at Saga was carried out to understand whether the residents' high level of satisfaction is due to the experiences and activities offered at Sagaen. Some of the participants pointed out that the new friendships they had made at Saga were one of the reasons they enjoyed living there. This fact could also be found in the results of the survey of the Saga residents who participated in the focus groups.
The learning experience in the thesis process was tremendous, the topic of the thesis only grew as the authors discovered more. It is important to explain the format of the interview and to introduce the topic of the interview before the focus group interview begins. Another limitation of the research is that the authors used only two senior residences from the same company.
However, this cannot be entirely considered a limitation, as many of the conversations evoked memories in the elderly that might otherwise have gone unheard.
