November 2014

Swimming in the cityBy Sue Alouche

HSBC‘s new swimming pool in Mumbai, India. The floor of the pool has a giant aerial photograph of the New York City skyline.

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"According to U.S. Census statistics, seniors 65 and older make up 13 percent of the population—34 million—and will be 63 million strong by 2025 as the Baby Boomers age. They will be healthier and more affluent than any elderly generation before them." Beyond Bingo. Marketing and programming for seniors nowadays is more rock climbing than rocking chairs Source: www.recmanagement.com

"In recent years "boomers" have demonstrated that they are willing participants in new and adventurous forms of leisure and are opting for more adrenalin-driven experiences. Because of this energing trend, marketing programmes need to be tailored to emphasise the leisure experience..."

Marketing the Leisure Experience to Baby Boomers and older tourists. Journal of Hospitality Marketing and Management 2010

Source: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/19368620802594136

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How Baby Boomers Are Changing Retirement Living...

✤ "At Ashby Ponds, private salons offer manicures, haircuts, and massages. Kitchens feature granite countertops and stainless-steel appliances. A white-tablecloth restaurant serves such dishes as a salad of edamame, feta, and almonds and tilapia with red-pepper coulis. The full-time interior designer helps residents with layout and decor, and the saltwater swimming pool is gentle on the skin." Washington Post August 2014.

Elderly care, designed to last...

✤ The Perkins Eastman-designed 480-bed Sun City Park in Yokohama is split into two blocks, or ‘villages’, each with its own character and facilities. One village focuses on leisure and culture, with musical and theatrical events regularly staged at Sun City Hall, and the other has extensive health and fitness facilities, including a beauty spa and swimming pool. The two villages are linked by a bridge over the stream, providing a charming and formal ‘welcome’ to each area.

"It is suggested that leisure activities, such as physical and social activities and spending time outdoors, influence the timing of sleep and the robustness of the sleep-wake rhythm. Physical and social activities have also been found to improve sleep quality, efficiency, and duration. Fewer daytime activities and frequent naps during the day contribute to changes in the sleep-wake rhythm, which might lead to poor sleep quality. This implies that elderly people need stimulating activities during the day if they are to sleep well at night."

Association between Sleep Disturbances and Leisure Activities in the Elderly:

A Comparison between Men and Women. Hindawi sleep disorders. School of Health Science, 1Blekinge Institute of Technology, Sweden. 2Department of Health Sciences, Lund University, Sweden 3Department of Care Science, Malmö University, Sweden. 4Blekinge Centre of Competence, Sweden

Let's take a look at the current senior market's attitude to exercise: The Do-Nothings are sedentary and not interested in getting any information about changing that lifestyle. The Planners are trying to develop a plan to get active, but they lack information and don't know the range of options available. They may put activity on their lists, but it keeps moving down that list since they're not certain how to start. The Tryers are attempting to become active but may not be doing enough. Many in this group have experienced a trigger: a health condition, stress or they've seen their peers declining. Their activity tends to come on a trial-and-error basis. The Habitual Exercisers don't need much help from anyone, as their name implies. Source AARP American Association of Retired Persons.

And for the Future Baby Boomers...? The Self Reliants, the largest group at 30 percent, boasts the highest income and education level, are saving aggressively for retirement, and plan to work at least part time after they retire for the interest and enjoyment. Only 1 percent expect not to work at all. Today's Traditionalists, 25 percent, have a stronger sense of confidence towards public services such as social security and envision a very traditional (hence their name) retirement. The Anxious, 23 percent, live below the average Boomers' household income level, don't expect financial security when the retire and assume they will continue working because they must. The Enthusiasts, 13 percent, eagerly await their retirement, plan not to work at all, and foresee devoting plenty of time and money to recreation. The Strugglers, 9 percent, post the lowest income and are comprised of women over men by nearly 2 to 1. They've saved no money for retirement because they have none to save and look upon retirement with little optimism. Source AARP American Association of Retired Persons.

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Ageing, Leisure, and Social Connectedness: How could Leisure Help Reduce Social Isolation of Older People

✤ "This study (on the Dutch population) shows that leisure activities explain a significant part of older people’s social connectedness. Voluntary work, cultural activities, holiday, sports, reading books, hobbies and shopping are found to be successful predictors for social connectedness of older people. Watching TV, listening to the radio, and spending time behind the computer (passive activities) were not associated with social connectedness." August 2013.

Utterly Unsuitable: Choosing a Swimsuit for an Older Woman

✤ "Which brings us to the problem. Finding a bathing suit in a style suited to someone over 40 isn’t easy. For instance, all those suits cut high on the thigh are supposed to make your legs look longer, but who wants to see more cellulite, or brown age spots, or even a side glimpse of sagging tummy?"

✤ http://www.seniorwomen.com/news/index.php/choosing-a-swimsuit-for-an-older-woman

Meet the 62-year-old swimsuit model! TK Maxx plucks real shoppers from obscurity to star in new campaign.

"TK Maxx has picked eight British shoppers to star in their new Spring/Summer 2014 campaign, Me. By Me., including 82-year-old Martin from London and glamorous 62-year-old Olga, who looks fabulous modelling a swimsuit. Olga Taylor, 62, from Twickenham, works in catering at her local college and much to her amazemant she was scouted while shopping in her local TK Maxx." http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2587897/Meer-62-year-old-swimsuit-model-TK-Maxx-plucks-real-shoppers-obscurity-star-

new-campaign.html#ixzz3IJ9Vazvb

Swimming in the city

Swimming in the city

“There’s a chance to change perception of the sport and make it less intimidating,” said USA Swimming chief marketer Matt Farrell. “It’s the first time we’ve done this kind of campaign, so there are no benchmarks, but if we raise participation by a percentage point or two, that’s thousands of swimmers.”

Swimming in the city

"People have difficulties adjusting physiologically or psychologically to the weightless environment of water, but they hide it and make excuses to stay out of the water," says Paul Lennon, founder and owner of the Adult Aquaphobia Swim Center in Glendale, California.

Swimming in the city

"There are certain safety concerns surrounding the elderly that require more careful planning than that of any other building serving the public. Mishaps and falls can lead to fatal injuries but also lawsuits against the care home itself". www.Plantapave.co.uk

Swimming in the city

Gaining access to the swimming pool?

Swimming in the city

How easy is it to install? Add-on approach...

Swimming in the city

"The City of Vincent recognises the importance of creating a community where there is equal access for all members to participate in activities and access to facilities. Beatty Park Leisure Centre (Beatty Park) has been designed with universal access in mind to cater for the elderly, parents with prams and for people with disability."

Or integrated approach?

"Welcome to the newest retail concept in Funabashi: a shopping mall designed with the elderly in mind. Here older shoppers can access medical clinics, benefit from 5 per cent discounts on pension day, partake in any of 140 leisure activities ranging from calligraphy to hula dancing and, through the “Begins Partner” programme, find love”

Retailers target grey spending power. August 2012

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/bb60a5b2-e608-11e1-a430-00144feab49a.html#axzz3IJsSPNAx

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The best exercise for baby boomers

✤ Swimming is really the perfect, total body exercise for Baby Boomers because there is no impact placed on our musculoskeletal system.

✤ Whereas jogging places an impact force of 2.5-3 times your body weight with each step taken, swimming results in zero impact force. When you consider the average jogger can take 150-180 steps per minute when jogging, the body is subjected to a staggering amount of punishment.

✤ http://theboomerbusinessowner.com/2014/04/baby-boomers-for-baby-boomers-2/

Other trends... Chinese Face-kinis

Other trends... Open water swimming

...adults aged 50-plus years who started exercising just 90 minutes a week saved, on average, $2,200 per year in medical costs,” Milner says. According to Tricia Grayson, director of communications for Healthways’ SilverSneakers Fitness Program,

Other trends... Exercise as medicine

Other trends... Multi-sensory experiences

Flying, drying drones....Imagine stepping out of the shower in the morning, and rather than reaching for a towel, a swarm of thousands of flying drones will surround you and begin to dry you off.