Cruise ships that never dock: Public health and policy implications of assisted living marketing practices

This presentation focuses on: 1) an analysis of the use of language, photographs, and symbols in creating an organizational image and picture of the aging experience in assisted living (AL); and, 2) the almost exclusive targeting of seniors, without due consideration of family and health care professionals involvement in long term care decision making; and, 3) policy implications of current AL marketing practices. Two related studies of ethics in assisted living conducted in Chester County, PA provide the data. The first, a qualitative study, identified the range and type of ethical issues in AL and how they are managed. The second, analysis of print advertising by AL providers over a 6 month period identified language, business models, images of aging, values, and action inducements. Three types of data were generated: 1) interview data with AL staff at all levels and with local experts in long term care (n=45); 2) field notes from observations of 2-hour marketing seminars at five AL facilities; and, 3) 500 print ads containing 1,200-plus photographs, collected from 20 subscription and non-subscription general readership and specialty publications targeting seniors. Findings include: operating models are drawn primarily from the real estate and hospitality industries rather than from health care; images in ads reflect only the presence of physically healthy, active, robust happy residents; mission and philosophy of care are virtually non-existent; and, the emphasis is placed on physical health and material wealth.