from green to black

the silver dollar

i was quite amused when i read monday's paper
that tp was surprised by the overwhelming response
for their gerontology course. it is indeed a sunrise
industry and i'm pretty sure there's lots of
potential if we get it developed.

they've got something right when they said that the
elderly want meaningful lifestyles. everyone does.
the search for significance is innate to everyone,
we dream of respect, riches or at least finding a
niche in our lives to settle in.

so the question is, if each of us would seek an identity
to that we could take on it's characteristics, what
would that be for someone who is older? sure, they have
1 part of it already, that is age. they will hence want
to be treated in a way befitting aged people. now, what
way is that, that can potentially spin us some cash?

well, services would be a key industry. but let me
flesh out some ideas to work on in future. i would
flesh out some assumptions to base my analysis on
as well. and of course i will try my best to be
outrageous.

i was thinking of segmenting this group of elderly into
the empty nesters, the grandparents and the infirm.

the plan is mainly for the empty nesters, the youngest
bunch of old citizens, just retired and flush with cash
after withdrawing it from the cpf. if i assume that they
search for significance, will tying them down emotionally
cause them to want to pay for them to work like say under
community involvement projects. arrange the project, buy
the insurance, skim some, pay them a fraction for a sense
of satisfaction and let them see some grateful not so
fortunate bunch get "helped"? i wonder.

or maybe make them pay to work in a farm. the question is
can we pay make them pay for their own effort?
the product is really their sense of well being and
achievement afterall. of course, having extra tangible
gains would be to the production owners advantage.

but whatever it is, marketing a new pattern of consumption
behavior is key. what we need are the social entrepreneurs,
the businesses will follow later. question is, do you have
any ideas?

;D could be that the key to answering this question is
to maybe spend some time with your parents or grandparents.

posted by green unseen @ 8:57 AM