Page 14 - HME Business, December 2017

Reaching Baby Boomers
Acting as both customer and caretaker, baby boomers are a prime demo- graphic for HME providers, but they’re not like their parents in terms of lifestyle, overall health and buying habits. What do you need to do in order to ensure you are truly reaching this choice group of decision makers?
The baby boomer market is just that – booming. Baby boomers and their parents (the Silent Generation) own 80 percent of American household wealth, according to the The Motley Fool. This puts baby boomers in the position of having discretionary income for their own health- related needs while in many cases acting as caregivers to their elderly relatives.
With 10,000 people turning 65 every day, this massive market is facing health issues that HME providers must address. According to Scripps,
some of the health-related issues baby boomers are or likely will be facing in their lifetime include: • Type 2 diabetes
• Heart disease
• Cancer
• Depression
• Eye issues
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Arthritis and joint replacement • Osteoporosis
Although the competition for their business is erce, baby boomers’ desire to remain independent and live out their lives at home are signi cant selling points that the HME industry should capitalize on. So to help you better connect with this prime demo- graphic, HME Business magazine talked with HME industry experts to help you nd the right formula for connecting with the baby boomer generation.
Boomer Trends
Bianca Araújo-Méndez, retail marketing manager fo Compass Health Brands, says that baby boomer wealth is part of the reason baby boomers are changing today’s shopping trends. And knowing how they shop better prepares you to meet their expectations.
“This is important because not only do boomers have discretionary income for their
own health-related issues, but many of them are making HME health-related decisions for their parents and other elderly relatives,” she explains. “And they have a lot of time of their hands, due to transitioning from full time employment to retirement. This allows them to take the time to do research on concise purchase decisions. More than half of baby boomers shop online, and as their mobility tends to diminish, the frequency
14 HMEBusiness | December 2017 | hme-business.com
Management Solutions | Technology | Products
The Baby Boom is not like previous generations of HME customers. Are your products, marketing and sales efforts connecting in the way that they should?
By Joseph Duffy