I develop the course materials for the CASL (Chartered Advisor for Senior Living) designation at The American College. One important area that we cover is "Understanding the Older Client," which deals with communicating effectively with seniors.
One of the things we discuss here is a brochure by the MetLife Mature Market Institute called "The Mature Market: Guidelines for Effective Communication." It's a must-read for everyone marketing to seniors, and it's accessible through their Web site (www.metlife.com).
This extensive brochure provides specific advice about issues ranging from choosing appropriate images of aging to communication techniques. Much of the advice is quite practical, such as describing how written communications need to be altered when communicating with this group. In addition to using a larger font size, the brochure points out more subtle issues, like avoiding glossy-finish brochures, choosing colors, and use of white space for improved readability. For verbal communications, the brochure details the importance of eliminating background noise and music as well as using clear tones in a lower-frequency range when speaking to older adults. A description of seniors' learning styles segues into the best marketing strategies for reaching this audience.
Researching additional resources on this topic for the next segment of the course led me to some other interesting material. We are adding a book called "How to Say It(C) to Seniors" by David Solie, M.S., P.A. (Prentice Hall, 2004).
Solie comes at the issue of communicating with seniors from a very different angle than most. He points out that, in our culture, adults working with teenagers benefit from an understanding of the developmental issues facing this younger group. However, when it comes to working with seniors, we generally don't think about their predicaments and challenges and rarely think of them as having developmental issues.
Just as it can be challenging to deal with teenagers, we can become frustrated by seniors because they may not seem to have the same concerns as the working adult population. Seniors who have a tendency to tell long stories, dwell on the past, and take their sweet time in making a decision can be very frustrating to task-oriented working adults. Solie explains that we need to learn to understand the developmental issues and dilemmas of seniors. He encourages readers to stop fighting them and instead try to help seniors get through this journey. Doing this can be rewarding, he says, and makes your work with seniors more successful as well as preparing you for the later part of your own life.
There are several additional resources that I found on this subject via a search on the Internet.
o An article located on the Web site for the Public Health Agency of Canada (Division of Aging and Seniors) gives a very broad perspective on communicating with seniors. In addition to offering information similar to the MetLife brochure, this Web site discusses the value of using communication channels such as public address systems, automated communication, the Internet, radio, and television. Visit www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/seniors-aines/.
o An interesting article called, "Elderspeak: Is It Helpful or Just Baby Talk?" by Joy Simpson can be found at the Web site for the Merrill Advanced Studies Center at the University of Kansas. In the article, Simpson discusses the habit that some people have of reverting to baby talk when communicating with seniors and how ineffective it can be. The article also references other interesting research in this arena. Visit www.merrill.ku.edu/intheknow.
I think the common message in all these resources is that good communication with seniors starts with taking the time to understand what they are experiencing. I like the suggestion from David Solie that we make the shift from being frustrated by the differences to becoming a more compassionate listener and facilitator. Clearly, using this method will lead to a more rewarding advisor-client relationship.
David A. Littell, JD is the Joseph E. Boettner research chair and a professor of taxation at The American College. Professor Littell is responsible for the academic content of the college's new Chartered Advisor for Senior Living(TM) (CASL(TM)) designation program. CASL was developed with input from a panel of industry experts to provide the education to serve the financial planning needs of today's older Americans and those planning for retirement. It is considered by many to be the most comprehensive educational program of its kind. For more information, visit www.theamericancollege.edu or call 888-263-7265.
