Varsity And Sodexo Presented Nationally Recognized Wellness Study Findings at VANHA 2010

May 2010

Research clearly quantifies the impact of wellness for positioning retirement communities

Did you know…

…More than 40 percent of retirement community residents would consider moving to a different community if it offered a comprehensive wellness program?

Although many retirement communities claim to offer “wellness programs,” the concept of wellness goes beyond the swimming pool, a craft room, a forlorn walking path, or the standard group activities. There’s a huge demand for an ongoing, comprehensive and adaptive wellness environment. In many cases, potential residents look directly at these programs in their decision-making process.

A new study by Varsity and Sodexo Senior Services reveals that wellness, its dimensions, and its importance to modern retirees has quantifiable depth.

Sodexo Senior Services recently partnered with Varsity to study seniors’ perception of wellness in order to strengthen and expand their HealthAbility initiative. Varsity’s significant quantitative and qualitative research not only resulted in clear definitions of wellness, but also revealed its impact on the marketing/positioning of retirement communities. Some of the findings include:

  • What the concept of “wellness” means to seniors;
  • The top aspects of wellness;
  • Perception of wellness by retirement community residents vs. non-residents;
  • How wellness programs fit into the hierarchy of considerations when selecting a retirement community;
  • How wellness is a game-changing notion on which retirement communities need to focus in order to stay competitive;
  • How the concept of wellness aligns with boomers and the next generations of retirees; and
  • How creating a wellness program is an ongoing process that will positively impact a community’s bottom line and brand differentiation.

The findings have garnered national attention and were presented by Varsity and Sodexo at the VANHA 2010 Annual Conference and Trade Show on Tuesday, June 8. If you would like a  free copy of our white paper detailing the research study, then simply contact us. We are also open to a discussion about how you can apply the research insights to attract more residents to your community.

We look forward to hearing from you.