What if the key to maintaining occupancy rates was already a part of your senior living community? Sales and marketing directors are constantly looking for new tools and technology to help bring in new residents, and keep existing residents engaged and active. These new solutions are important. However, there’s no replacement for the vibrant, comforting residents that make up your community’s welcoming board or community resident ambassadors program.
Sales and marketing directors supply valuable information throughout the onboarding process. No matter how thorough you are, it’s difficult to match the first-hand perspective that resident ambassadors provide to prospective and new residents.
The role of a resident ambassador can take many forms based on the skills and interests of the individual. Existing residents will be essential in making new community members feel at home. Your community’s ambassadors will form a welcoming committee of sorts, teaching new residents about the community’s events and offerings. They can also act externally, representing your community in interactions with local government entities, vendors, and prospective residents and families.
Eversound, the advanced listening system designed specifically for senior living communities, can help resident ambassadors in their welcoming efforts. The wireless headphones provided by Eversound can enhance communication, and showcase your community’s commitment to an engaging and inclusive environment. Here are some ways to empower your welcoming board members with Eversound:
Enhancing communication on prospect tours
Touring a new community can be overwhelming for many prospects and their families. They’re hearing lots of new information in a new setting, and the advent of social distancing and masks can make communication even more difficult.
Having a resident ambassador join a prospect tour is a great idea. Don’t lose out on that value because your ambassador or prospect have trouble hearing each other! Eversound connects up wireless headphones at distances up to 300 feet, making it the perfect communication tool as prospects and their families walk through your community with an ambassador guide.
Hearing loss is likely very prominent in your senior living community. Consider that: 81% of seniors over the age of 80 have hearing impairment and 78% of seniors over the age of 80 with hearing loss hearing impairmentdon’t use hearing aids. An assist from purposeful technology, and your resident ambassadors, can address this.
Related: how to drive tour conversions at your senior living community
Promoting social connections during mealtimes
Many senior living communities use mealtimes as a casual opportunity for new residents to get to know their neighbors. Community resident ambassadors can do their part by setting up table arrangements to help newcomers ingratiate themselves within different groups. Assigning an ambassador with each new resident will help ease introductions and promote conversation.
Just like with tours, mealtime settings can be filled with distracting sounds (chatter, dishes clanking, meal orders, etc). Eversound’s headsets are ergonomic, lightweight, comfortable, and easy to control. They can easily be incorporated to facilitate social connection and friendly conversation at the table.
Increasing engagement for activities
Residents that consistently engage in social activities experience significant improvements in physical, mental, and emotional health. These activities are particularly important for new residents that are adjusting to new surroundings and neighbors.
Community resident ambassadors will likely play a role in the coordination of activities – whether they’re polling residents for preferences, emceeing events, or showcasing their passion and talents to provide entertainment. Encourage them to use Eversound during viewings, games, and shows. Eversound can help increase engagement and accessibility during these activities. Residents can personalize their headsets to their individual hearing needs. Additionally, Eversound members have access to a wealth of activity-related resources in the Member Portal.
Sales and community directors should plan to work with activity directors to schedule prospect tours during activities, particularly those that showcase the use of technology like Eversound. Seeing the system in use is often more effective than telling a prospect about it.
Related: increase participation with these 5 senior small groups
Using social media to show your commitment to purposeful technology
This purposeful use of inclusive technology doesn’t have to stay within the walls of your community. Your community’s social media pages can give resident ambassadors a platform to share how they’re taking advantage of Eversound’s capabilities.
As of last year, 45% of U.S. adults over the age of 65 used at least one social media site. That makes social media an effective marketing tool for prospects and new residents.
Encourage resident ambassadors to create social content that your staff can post. A “Day in the Life” series with members of your welcoming committee can give prospects a peek into life in your community, while also giving existing residents a fun and engaging project to execute.
Remember that you’re trying to showcase your community’ emphasis on inclusion and accessibility. Video and pictures of community members using a tool like Eversound can show that commitment in real time.
Getting started with Eversound
Could you use Eversound to empower your community resident ambassadors? Eversound is the advanced listening system that communities across the country are using to increase accessibility, inclusion, and engagement in their communities. Our product connects up to 120 wireless headphones at distances up to 300 feet, representing a purposeful technology system that makes sure new residents and prospects feel welcome.
Best of all, Eversound is budget friendly! One month’s rent from a net new rental pays for an entire year of an Eversound membership.
Get in touch to bring more engagement, activity, and excitement to your senior living community.
