Many members of the older population, and those who care for them, are feeling the impact of the current crisis. Fears about overall health and concerns about potential economic problems are arising from those concerns. These difficult times are impacting everyone--but some of the best stories arising from this crisis are those of people coming together to help one another. Helping others during this time is more crucial than ever--and in many cases, your ads can help provide assistance to the people who need it most. 

1. Offer Empathy

This time is especially difficult for those who are older and are at higher risk. Show them you care by offering words of encouragement and hope. 

Ask direct questions and listen to the answers. Provide uplifting words and encouragement to your customers, especially your elderly customers and their caregivers. Many of them are currently taking extreme measures to protect themselves and their loved ones. Hearing there are others out there who genuinely care will aid them during this time.

Connect with those who are most likely unable to leave their homes and live normally during this time. This support can help to make these times easier. 

2. Keep in Touch with Them

Whether they're a loved one or someone you're assisting during this time, keeping in touch with seniors unable to leave their house is important. Luckily thanks to technology, it's easier than ever to keep up with communication in the middle of a crisis.

Checking in with older family members can be accomplished through technology - video calls and phone calls. Even just checking in can help loved ones feel much more connected throughout the crisis. Just as you need to check in personally on the seniors in your life, you should encourage your customers to check in with their loved ones--and, where possible, provide the tools to make that happen. 

3. Give Reassurance

Reassurance during a time of crisis can be incredibly beneficial. People want to feel as though they aren't alone in the middle of a crisis. Whether it's through an ad or direct contact with seniors and those that care for them, reassuring them you're there to help and make life easier during this time can provide a great deal of reassurance. Include the tools you have available and your commitment to offering as many services as possible for the seniors who patronize your business during this time. 

4. Offer Assistance

As a business or even an individual, if you're able to offer assistance to seniors and caregivers during this crisis, it can help to alleviate some stress. As an individual, you can offer to pick up and deliver prescriptions or groceries, reducing the contact seniors have to have with the outside world and, therefore, their odds of infection. You can also offer dog walking services or ask them specifically what they need help with during this difficult time. 

As a business, you've probably already thought about what measures you could take to offer protection to your senior guests and those with compromised immunity. You may already, for example, have set aside specific store hours for your most vulnerable customers, or you might be offering curbside or delivery services that your business would not ordinarily offer. Those simple measures can go a long way toward supporting vulnerable populations. 

5. Provide Motivation

Motivation can prove incredibly important, especially for people who feel as though they are stuck inside with no end in sight. Encourage your customers to get up and be active, even if it's within their own home. Suggest a workout video aimed toward the older generation, which can help them get moving right where they are. Offer suggestions for activities that can help keep them up and moving, from cleaning out a closet that's needed it for a while to gardening. People who remain sedentary throughout the quarantine may notice a corresponding dip in their moods. Staying active and engaged, on the other hand, can help them make the most of these days.

6. Share Insight 

Keep in communication and keep your customers informed. Offer valuable suggestions that can help them make decisions and manage their expectations. It's important, however, to make sure that information is shared in a respectful manner. Keep in mind what people already know and how you can help them. You may also need to moderate the information you share and put it out there in ways that won't cause more panic.

Advertising to the Senior Community During COVID-19

During this current crisis, it’s important to make sure your ads are embodying the correct language that will resonate with the senior community. Aside from communicating with seniors and those caring for them on a personal level, it’s important to incorporate these tips into your ad messaging. Your ads have a chance to make an impact within the senior community. They want to feel seen, heard, and represented, and you can do that through the messaging in your ads. By tweaking your creative to be more empathetic and encouraging, you will be able to reach the senior demographic on a deeper level. 

As this time of uncertainty continues, seniors, and those that care for them, can feel a lot of stress due to their new lifestyle changes. When creating your ads that are targeting this demographic, it’s crucial to ensure you’re providing them with support as they adapt to what’s going on. Your ads should feature empathetic and encouraging messaging, and information that is helpful and motivating to those you’re trying to reach. Consider offering them custom services that are directly tailored to them and their needs during this time. When you advertise on programs such as KCTV5 Aging in Style, you’re able to speak directly with that target market, in a way that will resonate with them. By showing them that you’re there for them and making adjustments with them in mind, you can help to ease stress and anxiety for them during this time. 

It's incredibly important for both individuals and businesses to focus on assisting the senior generation and others in need during this difficult period. Even though it's an uncertain time, your business can still step forward as an industry leader. Continuing to advertise your business in a way that's sensitive to current events and supportive of your community is important, not just to your business, but to your community as a whole. People need each other--and their local businesses--now more than ever.