Business potential in senior services

Abstract

Europe and generally the western societies are aging rapidly. Public sector in many countries is facing difficulties to keep up the same level of social and health care services as before. The size of younger generations diminishes and the amount of people that need to be supported will increase in relation to working population. Still the challenges that aging society bring are not fully recognized. Beside negative challenges, aging society raises new kinds of opportunities, new business potential. The change will be so rapid that new construction cannot fulfil the need for specialised housing. Moreover, specialized senior housing may not even be what aged consumers want.

The biggest market potential can be seen in existing building stock, which needs to be renovated to meet changing needs. Existing building stock has been built for healthy working age generations. Besides renovation, the new needs can be met by new type of services and service concepts. These services are called here senior services. This paper consists of an analysis of different factors that affect demand and supply of senior services. Financing is discussed briefly together with wealth issues. Ideas of new business opportunities have been described following the actor groups and senior service classification.

SANTRUKA

Europos ir apskritai Vakaru visuomene sparčiai seneja. Viešasis sektorius daugelyje šaliu susiduria su sunkumais, kai reikia išlaikyti ta pati socialiniu ir sveikatos paslaugu lygi kaip anksčiau. Jaunesnes kartos žmoniu mažeja, o žmoniu, kuriems reikia paramos, daugeja, palyginti su dirbančiu gyventoju skaičiumi. Tačiau iššūkiai, kuriuos kelia senejanti visuomene, dar nera galutinai suprasti. Be neigiamu pasekmiu, senejanti visuomene sukuria naujas galimybiu rūšis, nauja verslo potenciala. Pokyčiai bus tokie spartūs, kad naujos statybos negales patenkinti specializuoto būsto poreikio. Be to, specializuotas būstas pagyvenusiems asmenims gali būti visai ne tai, ko nori pagyvene vartotojai.

Didžiausias rinkos potencialas gali būti matomas dabartiniame būsto fonde, kuri reikia renovuoti kintamiems poreikiams patenkinti. Egzistuojantis būsto fondas buvo pastatytas sveikoms darbingo amžiaus kartoms. Be renovacijos, naujuosius poreikius galima patenkinti, teikiant naujo pobūdžio paslaugas bei taikant naujas paslaugu savokas. Tokios paslaugos šiame straipsnyje vadinamos paslaugomis pagyvenusiems asmenims. Straipsnyje analizuojami ivairūs veiksniai, darantys itaka paslaugu pagyvenusiems asmenims paklausai ir pasiūlai. Finansavimas trumpai aptariamas kartu su geroves temomis. Nauju verslo galimybiu idejos aptariamos apibūdinus šioje srityje veikiančias grupes bei pateikus paslaugu pagyvenusiems asmenims klasifikacijas.

Keywords:

• Senior housing
• Business potential
• Senior services