The sky's the limit for what seniors want to do today. Above, Betty Muir, an active member of the Wheaton Park District senior programs, takes a thrill ride of Disney World. The shot was taken by her son, photographer Dan Muir.

If you still believe that all seniors have, and always will, find their leisure needs met through card games, billiards and free coffee, it's time for you to recognize the changing face of seniors within our constituencies. Although it is important to recognize that there are seniors in our communities who do desire the above listed services, it is also important to recognize the "new seniors" who believe those services and senior centers are for "old people."

The "new seniors" do not consider themselves "old." They are young at heart and of age. These may be the people in your community you wish would participate in your programs and senior center, but who do not.

We have been hearing about the "graying of America" trend for years. We all know there are and will continue to be more seniors in our communities than ever before. But are we prepared to meet their needs?

It is important that leisure professionals take note of this paradigm shift and apply it to their facilities and services. By studying trends and attitudes, as well as meeting challenges, you can bring the "new senior" through your doors and into your programs.

Trend Watching

The face of retirement is changing. Income, health, and work ethic all factor into decisions about retirement. Downsizing, "right-sizing," and retirement packages too good to pass up may bring on early retirement. Many of these retirees will be healthy, educated, and will have the time and money to participate in leisure programs.

Conversely, an emerging trend shows older workers staying in jobs long past age 65. Advances in health care allow them to be able to work, and dwindling retirement savings combined with rising health care costs or love for their jobs give them reasons to work. Another segment retire in their 60s but go on to follow their dreams of starting their own business, working part-time, going back to school or immersing themselves in meaningful volunteer work.

The Kiplinger Letter suggests that many will pay for career coaching. Eighty percent surveyed by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) said they plan to work at least part-time during their retirement years. AARP's greatest current challenge is to attract emerging 50-year-olds into their organization. In 1998 they officially changed their name from "American Association of Retired Persons" to the acronym "AARP," because the word "retirement" was irrelevant to their

September/October 2001 15

membership. AARP has spent $500,000 on research in the last five years and plans to spend $100 million over the next five years on advertising to make its organization valuable to a new generation.

Leisure agencies also may need to proactively find ways to re-create interest in their programs for this population.

• Not everyone has a place in Florida or Arizona. Many new seniors are staying in place longer than you think. Moving is hard work, and almost three out of four want to stay in their community after retirement. Approximately half said they plan to live in their own homes. Thus, winter will not always be your slow time; strong year-round programs will become more important than ever.

• People are living longer, healthier lives. Life expectancy rates have soared over the last 50 years and show no sign of slowing down. In 1900 life expectancy was 46. By 2010 women are expected to live to an average of 86 years, men to 81.2. The latest research confirms that how we age has less to do with genetics and more to do with lifestyle. Adapting a lifestyle that is positive, active and meaningful now can significantly slow natural losses in mental and physical functioning that used to be considered inevitable. Many older adults look to us for help in following the advice of their physicians to stay healthy and active. Our fitness, health/wellness and educational programs are often just the medicine they are looking for.

• Leisure activities that focus on learning new skills are important to the new senior. A recent survey by the AARP suggests that 62 percent of older adults are interested in learning more about favorite leisure activities. The Adult Education program in Wheaton has 342 participants older than 50 years of age who are pursuing leisure and learning interests. This group comprises 33 percent of total enrollment.

• Travel is a gateway to new members. Today's travelers are young in spirit and heart. They don't want to take the same trips their parents took. Mentally, physically, and financially they are in a much different place. Seniors hold half of all passports issued in America, even though they only make up 30 percent of the population. Elderhostel, a senior travel program that focuses on education, is tremendously successful and has experienced a great deal or growth. Local, U.S. and foreign travel are hot. The top destinations for extended travel include Italy, cruising, and Canada, in that order.

With an innate sense of adventure and a keen desire to learn, Wheatons seniors love to travel with the park district, and trips are planned with the goal of attracting new members. Twenty-five percent of the people on all day trips are new members. Travel programs create a great opportunity to promote all of your programs and increase membership. In Wheaton, we use the time sitting on the bus as an opportunity to use the microphone and pass out promotional packets of information on upcoming programs and events. We frequently collect completed registration forms immediately for future programs.

Active travel programs create win-win situations for park districts and their older adults. These programs are the gateway to young, new members, allow patrons to travel within the safety net of our agencies and are probably one of the most efficient ways to generate revenue. Wheatons Europe trip in 2000 is a good example. We had a total of 52 travelers; 18 were new members. Our participants were thrilled with this service, and it generated almost $10,000 in revenue.

• The "S" and "R" words are OUT. What do we call this diversified group? Seniors, retirees, older adults, new seniors, mature adults, active agers, emerging seniors, and third agers. All are defining terms for this group. A large number of agencies frequently use the expression "mature or older adult" in their literature.

LeRoy Hanneman, president and CEO of Del Webb Corporation, suggests the term "zoomer." He says "they are zooming into the new millennium and into retirement with fast and far-reaching agendas." What is certain is that a new, defining term for this group is needed.

Attitudes Affect Leisure Behavior

• Many older adults perceive themselves 14 years younger than they are. Programs your agency provides for your general adult population will be well received by the new senior population. Specialization of general population programs may be necessary to ensure safe participation. For example, a Spinning or Tai Chi class for people 50+ is a great way to provide a program for the new senior attitude/interest.

• Not everything you offer should be, or has to be, free. According to the AARP, the new senior is willing to spend up to $ 101 dollars on an interest they have always wanted to try. For the new senior, "free" programs and services aren't always the ticket. As a matter of fact, free services may turn them off. This group is comprised of savvy consumers who will comparison-shop other agencies and venues. Examine your community's demographics and adjust your prices accordingly. Although value is always an important factor to consider, perceived quality is equally as important.

Programming Challenges

Programming for a group whose age range spans 50 years (ages 50 to 100) with differing levels of physical and mental ability, interests and income can be daunting.

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1. Stay in touch with local and national trends. Great places to "trend watch" are USA Today, Newsweek, the Wall Street Journal, LERN publications and Web site (www.lern.org), American Demographics. Investigate your community's demographics from the 2000 census data (try http://factfinder.census.gov). You may be surprised by your findings. 2. Other Web-based Sources: • www.asaging.lrg/ ASA_Home_New5.cfm (cutting-edge information for professionals) • www.generationa.com/Stations/ whatsnew/features/index.htm (interests and needs of older adults) • www.thirdage.com (news/social magazine for older adults) • www.seniornet.org • www.nrpa.org/ index.cfm?publicationid=32 (National Recreation and Park Associations Leisure and Aging Section) 3. Based on the trends mentioned, some notable "hot spots" are as follows: • Fitness and the mind-body connection (e.g., yoga, tai chi, meditation) continue to be "hot") • Home improvement (feng shui, faux finishing, general improvement such as electrical, drywall, doors and trim, etc.). • Dancing (not just ballroom; salsa, meringue and tap, too!) • Foreign language for travel • One-day and extended trips • Volunteering (i.e., meaningful, organized opportunities that allow them to feel valued through sharing knowledge and expertise) • Offer shorter class formats (e.g., make-and-take craft programs, a 4-week computer class versus 8 weeks) • Retirement planning (e.g., next career step, recreating/redirecting life goals) 4. Conduct a needs assessment in your community of people 45+. What do

they want? Use your new member events as focus groups. 5. Don't limit yourself through time, cost or by sticking with the activities you have always done and the way you have always done them. Never assume. Ask, ask and re-ask. 6. Networking is one of the best ways to get new ideas. Bounce ideas off your colleges. Try to walk away with at least one idea you can implement immediately. Conferences, committees and informal gatherings all can provide you with a surplus of ideas. 7. Work with your co-workers to blend program areas. Step outside of your office and look for opportunities to collaborate with those talented individuals around you. For example, work with the athletic supervisor to create athletic leagues or with your cultural arts supervisor to start a senior theatre group. Consider intergenerational programs. 8. Success components for the mature market are: price/value, safety/security, self- reliance, connectedness, convenience, personal growth, respect for the past, natural beauty, adventure/activity, comfort/ service are key element for success. Plan your programs with these in mind. 9. Marketing to the user and non-user is essential. If they don't know about what you are offering, they can't come. Although traditional posters and flyers can be valuable in reaching your current users, research other methods of getting your message out to non-users. Seniors are the largest growing group of Web users; highlight your activities there. Newspaper readership is dropping nationally, but seniors still read it. Direct mail, postcards, marquee boards and press releases all can be effective. Recreate your image with a new insignia. In Wheaton we changed ours to "for the young at heart." Distribute T-

shirts, baggage tags, tote bags with your new insignia. Creating a marketing plan that you can follow throughout the year. It can serve as a helpful guide to keep you on track in your efforts. To retain your current users, try the "personal touch." Creating a warm, friendly environment and a sense of community within your program are vital. A sense of belonging is important to all of us, but it takes on a special meaning later in life because so many people find themselves widowed or far from family members and friends. People who retire often feel like they've left their family and seek out new memberships to fill this need. Establishing group identity can be accomplished in a variety of ways. In Wheaton, many of our groups buy and proudly wear T-shirts with their group name on it (such as our Happy Hoofers walkers, Racqueteer Table Tennis players. Pedal Pushers bikers, Tai Chi class and Volleyball group). We post pictures on our bulletin boards from newspaper articles or trip photos. On each extended trip we take "group shots" and give them to participants at "reunion" lunches. Knowing your participants names lets them know you are involved and interested in their lives. The Wheaton Leisure Center staff wears name tags, and most of the participants in our trips and classes do, too. Facilities also need to be clean, comfortable, warm and inviting. New and fancy are not important to this age group. Our entryway was redesigned to make a fun, friendly seating area for people waiting for cabs, sharing a cup of coffee or registering for programs. The first week of registration after a newsletter goes out we serve free coffee and donuts, as well as adding an extra staff person to help make this process fun and easy.

September/October 2001 17

But it's also a worthwhile task. Recognizing and addressing these challenges with realistic expectations is key.

• People are busy. One Wheaton senior, Georgia Hamilton, age 69 (who looks 50-something), wonders if she can do it all and is having fun trying. Her calendar is elaborate and color-coded. Leading Wheatons senior choir, taking tap dance class, acting in Wheaton Drama productions, church activities, and juggling time to spend with her husband, children and grandchildren— keep her on the go. A busy lifestyle is the norm, not the exception.

Retired participants often wonder when they had time to work, and struggle to fit in everything they want to do and try. Programs and centers must be attractive enough for them to make the effort to attend. Older adults need easy access to programs. Make your brochures user-friendly. Offer registration online and by fax, phone or mail. Make payment easy and activities accessible. Let participants know what the physical requirements are for trips and classes and develop an easy-to-read rating system. Convenience and flexibility are major issues for this group.

Wheaton offers drop-in programs with punch passes for ceramics and fitness. Bowling leagues meet Monday through Friday; participants pay only for days they attend and they are matched with different people each day. Tennis, biking, volleyball and walking club are all operated as drop-in programs.

• Offering programs to meet varied abilities is essential. For example, a well-rounded fitness program includes offerings that appeal to the "couch potato" wanting to start a fitness program through the competitive, fit athlete. Many programs may have the ability to adjust to fitness levels within a program. Wheaton Park District's Pedal Pusher biking program offers a sense of camaraderie while allowing for individuals to ride at varied personal fitness levels. Riders can ride up to 30 miles, or as few as 2 miles per day.

• Meeting the demand for a wide range of program interests and income levels is a considerable task. Offer a wide variety of programs with the full spectrum of prices and physical abilities. Balance your offering price wisely so that everyone can attend. The sky is the limit. Anything goes.

Overall, general attitudes toward older adults are improving, however they can still present a challenge. Older adults may be perceived as "difficult to deal with." A more direct, vociferous communication style combined with time to notice things that are wrong in your programs or facilities can be hard for some staff to comprehend. This can be positive because your feedback will be constant thereby giving you the opportunity to make corrective changes and improvements. Remember seniors comprise a large portion of our voters and they can create issues for your agency if they do not feel heard.

The new millennium has arrived, and it is an exciting time to be at the forefront of leisure planning. Yes, these times they are a changin', and now is the time to incorporate these upcoming older adults high expectations for quality and diversified programs into agency comprehensive plans. Organizations that anticipate older adult's ever-changing needs and proactively exceed their expectations will be rewarded with loyal, active, willing participants.

CARRIE A. HAUPERT, CPRP
is the Adult Education and Recreation coordinator for the Wheaton Park District.

LINDA DOLAN, CPRP
is the Leisure Center supervisor for the Wheaton Park District.

18 Illinois Parks and Recreation