SeniorHomes.com is launching the 2012 Best of The Web Awards today! The Best of the Web contest highlights the best senior living and caregiving websites, blogs, and resources for consumers and senior living professionals. Often, the amount of senior living and caregiving websites can be overwhelming and stressful. SeniorHomes.com wants to help take the stress out of the equation by compiling the best resources across the web. This easy to use guide not only helps caregivers and people in the industry, but recognizes websites that consistently provide great resources and information.

Last years, Best of the Web contest was a huge success with hundreds of nominees and voters.  We hope to see even more websites nominated this year and everyone voting for their personal favorites!

Nominate Someone Today!

We want to hear about your favorite websites, blogs, or newsletters.  Nominate via facebook or twitter by using the #SeniorhomesBOW and mention the websites name and link.

Or you can shoot us an email at bestoftheweb@seniorhomes.com with the websites name, link, and why you love it!

Award nominations are available in the following categories:

Consumer Resources

• Best Websites and Newsletters for Caregiver
• Best Senior Living Blogs by Individuals
• Best Senior Living Blogs by Organizations
• Best Senior Living Provider Websites
• Best Government & Education Resources
• Best Senior Living Online Retailers

Industry Resources

• Best Designed Senior Living Provider Websites
• Social Media Rockstars - Individuals
• Social Media Rockstars - Organizations
• Best Senior Living Industry Resources

Vote for your Favorites!

Has your favorite website already been nominated?  Go to it’s page and vote for it by liking or +1 the page!  We choose the finalists based on the who has the top votes.

Over the past few weeks, we’ve been conducting some market research in planning for an up-and-coming project here at SeniorHomes.com. As part of this, we talked to a number of geriatric care managers (GCMs) based in different areas across the U.S.

The process was very informal, and we didn’t gather official stats or metrics. Still, through our casual interviews we discovered there’s a clear consensus surrounding the characteristics that set a top-notch assisted living community apart. We came up with a list of the most essential services and qualities today’s seniors, families and GCMs expect from an assisted living home. Take a look at our findings to see if your facility is on-target.

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Customized care, hands-on staff and quality training

By and large, customized care is an essential component of assisted living homes. Some GCMs even said they prefer smaller facilities, because staff are more able to notice minute changes in a resident’s care needs and can quickly make modifications to the plan of care. All expect that residents needs will be met on an individual basis, not as a one-size-fits-all program. Staff should be hands-on and receive ongoing quality training. Other GCMs don’t feel small facilities are absolutely necessary if individual needs are met, which brings me to our next point:

Adequate staff-to-resident ratios

Even in the largest assisted living facilities, customized care doesn’t have to be a problem if the staffing ratios are adequate. Ratio requirements are usually dictated by law, but specific numbers vary from state to state. Ratios can even vary within a single facility. For instance, if an assisted living home has a wing dedicated to dementia care, staff-to-resident ratios could be lower than those in other areas. Clearly, all providers must abide by their own state laws, but those who go above and beyond with extra staffing earn bonus points.

Low staff turnover

Speaking of staff, turnover is a big issue for GCMs. Most feel that if staff turnover is high, there are problems within the facility. Whether these issues are directly tied to care doesn’t matter: Unhappy staff don’t do their jobs as well as employees with high levels of job satisfaction.

Cleanliness

You wouldn’t want to live in a dirty home, would you? Residents don’t either, and their family members don’t want to make a visit and get the impression the facility isn’t clean.

24-hour nurses

In some states, round-the-clock nurses aren’t required by law in assisted living facilities. Most typically have a registered nurse on-call at all times and a nurse that works in the facility at least part-time. Care managers prefer facilities with 24-hour nursing, especially for proper medication management.

Quality of care and activities

Quality of care is a no-brainer. Mistakes should be minimal, neglect should never be an issue and resident care should pass the bar at all times. Part of the care provided in any senior living community is providing meaningful activities for residents. Going beyond the old standbys with an activity director who can come up with new, creative activities, events and outings will help set your facility apart from the pack.

Homelike environment

The entire healthcare industry is shifting to a patient-centric model, and senior living is no exception. Assisted living homes shouldn’t feel institutional or like a hospital. Comfort and accessibility should be primary design considerations, and allowing residents to bring furnishings and other items from home increase the home-like feel.

Fine dining

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Five-star restaurant? You bet. It’s not out of reach for today’s seniors. Dining options should be numerous and meals delectable. Many assisted living residents enjoyed satisfying home-cooked meals most of their lives, whether prepared by themselves or  a spouse, so why should senior living veer from that standard? And choices are crucial. Seniors prefer to maintain as much control over their own lives and schedules as possible, and choosing their own meals is a big part of that. Dining rooms set up in restaurant-style that can accommodate family and other special guests are also a plus.

Using fresh ingredients and avoiding mass-quantity processed foods not only produces tastier foods, but it’s healthier as well. Fresh ingredients have higher vitamin and mineral content than packaged and processed ingredients and contain less preservatives, like salt and other additives that can be bad news for special diets.

Good economic standing and stability

Finally, we talked with a number of GCMs who say they look for communities in good economic standing. It’s not unheard of for assisted living homes to suddenly switch hands in the current economic climate. Changes in ownership can lead to management changes, resulting in sudden modifications of residents’ routines, new policies and even vendor switches that can really muck up a senior’s carefully regimented and preferred routine. An assisted living facility with a healthy census and no major financial struggles are usually a wise choice.

Are we missing anything? What do you think are the most essential qualities of a great assisted living facility? Would you add or delete any items from this group? And if you’re a senior or caregiver who has been searching for senior housing, how many of these considerations are you using to evaluate potential facilities? Be sure to let us know in the comments.

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Technology and healthcare are two of the hottest industries in terms of employment outlook and revenue right now, and coincidentally, the two industries complement each other so nicely that they’re like two adjacent puzzle pieces. Technology is increasingly a big part of healthcare management, and more recently, senior living. Whether your love one resides in a community setting, such as assisted living or independent living, or in her own home alone, new technologies are entering the market that can improve your loved one’s safety, mobility and independence. Here are a few top trends in health technology:

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1. Wander protection. Several new programs and gadgets have been introduced that aim to protect elders from Alzheimer’s-related wandering. Wanderers endanger themselves, as they can easily become disoriented and lost.
2. Wi-Fi is a must. Seniors are becoming increasingly tech-savvy, and much like the working generation, wireless access is considered a necessity, not a luxury. Wireless internet access allows seniors to use their own laptops to stay in touch with family, friends and even business associates.
3. Engaging websites. More and more, seniors and their families are turning to the internet in their search for senior housing options. Assisted living (and independent living, nursing homes and other types of senior housing providers) websites must be engaging and informative. The better your facility is tapped into the web, the more referrals you’re likely to receive. That means having a presence on prominent social networks, a quality static website and interacting with your potential customers on a regular basis. The internet is no longer an ancillary marketing tactic.
4. Opportunities for web-based continuing education. Baby Boomers are hesitant to retire, and today’s older adults aren’t about to let their minds go to waste as they age. Senior living providers are increasingly partnering with local colleges and universities to offer free or discounted continuing education opportunities, allowing seniors to remain sharp and even delve into totally new topics in retirement.
5. Going green. Not a “tech” trend in the literal sense, but environmental friendliness tops the list of many seniors’ priorities when choosing senior housing. Think: energy-efficient lighting, low-VOC paint and sustainable resources, like bamboo flooring. Going green can involve tech devices that help simplify processes, but the green revolution is all about making the most of the resources we have. Many of today’s seniors have experienced an economy slump at some point during their lives, so the “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” concept in a senior housing complex rings true. And, it’s always good to feel like you’re doing something to help preserve the future of our planet for generations to come! An official environmentally-friendly certification is a hot selling point for any senior living community.

Have you been searching for senior housing for a loved one or for yourself? What tech trends have you noticed popping up increasingly as amenities? Let us know in the comments below!

Internet inquiries are a rapidly growing source of leads for assisted living and other senior living providers, with surveys indicating about 30 to 40 percent of leads are coming from internet sources in the senior living industry. Providers are reporting approximately 25 percent growth in the percentage of leads generated through internet sources over a 12-month period.

Eighty percent of baby boomers use the internet at least once per month; 47 percent of seniors (age 65 and over) use the internet at least once per month and steady growth is projected.

If you missed the Mature Market Sales Source webinar last week, check out the recording here with guest speaker Chris Rodde, CEO of SeniorHomes.com. Chris reviews the types of internet lead generation companies in the senior living vertical, outlining the differences between pay-per-lead, pay-per-move-in and subscription-based services. Learn these basics and outline your own strategy for maximizing leads obtained through internet sources with effective follow-up planning.

Check out the video recording of the recent webinar hosted by Mature Market Sales Source with guest expert Chris Rodde:

Chris Rodde, CEO and co-founder of SeniorHomes.com, will be hosting a webinar in conjunction with Mature Market Sales Source, “Top Seven Ways to Get the Most Out of Internet Inquiries.” The webinar will take place on Tuesday, August 16, 2011, at 10:00am PST. Join Chris and Deena Neste, Principal and co-founder of Mature Market Sales Source, as they walk you through incorporating internet leads as part of your sales strategy, maximizing your website for lead generation, and more.

“Top Seven Ways to Get the Most Out of Internet Inquiries” is free for participants. Register today to learn from Chris’ many years of expertise in internet lead generation. Topics to be covered include:

• Incorporating internet leads in your marketing strategy
• Designing systems, strategies and protocols for effective engagement
• Maximizing your website for lead generation
• Selecting the best internet lead vendors
• Using tools and strategies for maximizing engagement
• Most effective methods for thorough follow-up
• Benchmarking and comparing results
• Optimizing your sales and marketing budgets

Register today and join Deena Neste and Chris Rodde for this complimentary webinar for maximizing your internet lead generation strategies. Click here to register for “Top Seven Ways to Get the Most Out of Internet Inquiries.”

A recent article in The Washington Post offers tips for making assisted living design more appealing to men, which suggests that current design is often female-oriented, including floral wallpaper, crystal chandeliers and pastel art. It makes sense because, on average, women typically live longer than men–about five or six years longer. By the age of 100, the ratio of women to men is about two to one, according to PhysOrg.com.

Because women have a longer average life expectancy, it’s not uncommon to find women comprising a larger percentage of residents in assisted living, independent living and nursing homes. Naturally, senior living providers want to appeal to the broadest proportion of their target population, so feminine decor seems logical. This trend may be changing, however, as a recent census brief, “Age and Sex Composition: 2010” shows that the male population in the 60-plus demographic is growing faster than the same group of women, as McKnight’s Long Term Care News reported this week.

The functional design of assisted living homes is an often-discussed topic, as design technologies emerge that enable residents to remain more independent or ease stress for those with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia. Open floor plans, color coordination to signal certain areas and safe bathroom design with ample handles for grasping and walk-in showers certainly make senior living more comfortable, but don’t necessarily aim to appeal to residents’ sense of style.

Person-Centered Assisted Living Design Remains the Focus

To accommodate the growing male aging population, new design trends are emerging that nix the traditional mauve-and-floral themes that were once sure to be found by walking into any assisted living facility across the country. Today’s assisted living designs combine both style and function by utilizing best accessibility accommodations and safety standards while incorporating modern design themes. Gone are the flowered walls, replaced by self-serve kitchens with granite countertops and slate tile, common areas with comfortable and modern furniture, flat-screen televisions and gaming systems, and efforts to incorporate the outdoors into daily living–both inside and out.

Landscape design and courtyards are now regarded as an element equally as important as functional indoor living space. Residents often participate in the design by using their gardening skills or expressing their preferences for outdoor activities (cricket, anyone?). Instead of focusing solely on efficiency of providing care, design is now increasingly person-oriented, with the aim of creating a home-like atmosphere for residents. Instead of walking from personal quarters into a corridor, residents should feel as though they’re entering a living room in their own home.

In order to incorporate this evolving person-centered philosophy, big changes are taking place in assisted living facilities across the country. Long hallways with resident rooms are giving way to “pods” connected by large courtyards or common areas, and individual rooms are getting larger, with private sitting areas and easy access to larger common areas. Cost-consciousness is always a factor, so designers have their work cut out for them to combine functionality and efficiency in space planning in order to make the best use of the space available while still creating a larger, more spacious feel with increased privacy and access to public areas. To further challenge even the best designers, the atmosphere must be gender-neutral to appeal to both the male and female aging population.

It’s interesting to watch the evolution of senior living design. What changes have your organization embraced or incorporated to create a more home-like, person-centered environment that appeals to modern seniors? Have you noticed an increase the proportion of male to female residents, and have you found it necessary to make design changes to appeal to the male resident?

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At this year’s ALFA Conference & Expo, Jeff Jarvis, author of What Would Google Do? brought up an interesting point of view regarding transparency in the assisted living industry. Specifically, Jarvis suggests publishing fee structures on the company website, providing answers to common questions, eligibility criteria and services offered. Industry leaders are now weighing in on this discussion on the ALFA Forum, with differing opinions.

On one side of the coin are those who agree with Jarvis. Brian Geyser of CareNetworks, LLC voices his support for transparency, noting that advancements in technology have created a consumer demand for immediate gratification. Today’s consumers expect to find the answers they’re looking for by visiting company websites and reading published information and opinions online. Geyser suggests going the extra mile and spelling out the true costs of living in an assisted living facility. How are the rates calculated? What will a family expect to pay out of pocket in certain situations? What about cost savings in terms of time off work, safety and security, socialization and opportunities for activities.

Flip the coin and you’ll find a totally opposite perspective. Executives from smaller assisted living homes say they don’t publish rates on their website because, without significant contextual information, their rates don’t appear competitive with larger assisted living communities. That’s because, according to this poster, larger companies tend to tack on fees for extra services and supplies, whereas smaller companies may offer rates that are all-inclusive. The standpoint here is that independent facilities could lose potential referrals from consumers; marketing and admissions reps don’t have the opportunity to explain benefits and price structure to consumers who simply opt for the lowest prices. Others point out that the cost of care is a very personalized and individual issue, and the best way to provide an accurate assessment based on services offered and a residents’ needs is for both parties to have a face-to-face discussion and evaluation.

In defense of their position, several executives weigh in suggesting that providing the appropriate amount of context and explanation reduces the odds consumers will be confused or misled. Further, a general fee structure, description of different levels of care, services offered and the needs best served by the facility gives families an idea of what they’ll be getting for their money. A prominent, bold statement noting that the fee structure provided is a guideline and actual costs are individualized based on residents’ needs can serve as a call to action: For an accurate cost/benefit analysis for your loved one’s needs, call us to schedule a tour and a meeting.

What are your thoughts on price transparency? Do the pros outweigh the cons?

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We’ve been hearing a lot about Google’s recent changes (known as Panda) that have resulted in better-targeted search engine results pages (SERPs). Overall, web searchers seem to be positive about Google’s efforts in improving search results, and marketers have embraced the opportunity to obtain higher rankings by delivering quality content. But if you’re not immersed in SEO or SEM on a day-to-day basis, you may not have given thought to how all these changes affect your organic CTR (Click-Through-Rate). That’s okay, because the folks at Optify have—in fact, they’ve given a lot of thought to the many recent changes and how they impact your results based on where you’re positioned on the SERPs.

First, what exactly is a Click-Through-Rate?

For assisted living marketers, Click-Through-Rate is comparable to your lead conversion rate. For example, your conversion rate is equal to the number of move-ins divided by the total number of leads you worked in a given time frame. Likewise, Click-Through-Rate is the number of clicks (people who actually visit your site) divided by the number of impressions (how many times your listing appeared on someone’s screen).

Why does this matter?

Clearly, we all want more visitors to our site. And we all want to appear on the first page of Google. Better yet, we want to be #1 in Google. Most of us have a basic understanding of Why: Because searchers are more likely to click on the first result, and many don’t navigate past page one. But the meat of the matter is much more complex. We’ll try to keep it simple.

Optify creates a new Click Through Rate (CTR) Curve

Remember your college statistics course? Yep, it’s time to dig that out from the cobwebs of your brain. To give you an idea of how valuable this information is: The last widely-accepted CTR Curve was the AOL CTR Curve—from 2006.

This deceptively simple graph generated by Optify’s data demonstrates the average CTR for each position in the SERPs. You can clearly see that there’s a big drop in CTR from position one to position two, although Optify points out that 60% of the clicks go to the top three. Also, CTR on page two is fairly level, but you should note the slight jump from position 10 to position 11, which indicates that you’re likely to get more clicks if you’re first on page two than if you’re last on page one.

That said, with the ever-changing algorithm of Google and its competitors, it’s nearly impossible to manipulate rankings minutely enough to land precisely in a certain position. It’s far easier to predict—and aim for—ranking on a given page than a given position. Optify has that covered, too. They took a look at overall average CTR on a page-by-page basis, finding that the average CTR on page one is 8.9% compared to 1.5% on page two. Read: Get on the first page.

What about keywords?

Still ahead of the game, Optify also examined differences in CTRs for keywords with varying search volumes, categorized into head terms (1,000 + monthly searches) and long-tail terms (less than 100 monthly searches). This is where it gets a little sticky.

If you’re talking about head terms (assisted living, nursing homes, etc.), the CTR is higher for the first position (32%, versus 25% for long-tail terms). But, on a page-by-page basis, long-tail terms perform better on page one as a whole (9%, versus 4.6% for head terms).

In simple terms: If you’re optimizing for a head term, you’ll see the most benefit from the first few positions. If you’re optimizing for a long-tail term, you’ll get a decent CTR from a position anywhere on page one. (Keep in mind that long-tail terms have less than 100 visitors per month, and we’re talking CTR, not actual visitors.)

A few final tips from Optify

We highly recommend that you download Optify’s white paper, “The Changing Face of SERPs: Organic Click Through Rate” to read all the details. But here are a few final, simple recommendations from the folks at Optify:

• Get more terms on page one first, then focus on moving to the first position.
• Visits and pageviews don’t tell the whole story. They have value, but don’t lose sight of the real goal: Targeted leads, assisted living facility tours, move-ins, etc. Whatever your focus, measure it. Thousands of visitors, at the end of the day, mean little if zero called for information. This point emphasizes the importance of driving SEO with quality content. CTR is only the first part of your conversion equation:

You’ve got them on your site, now your content has to convert them into leads, giving you the chance to convert those leads into move-ins.

• Earning page-one positioning for many long-tail keywords is a strategy that shouldn’t be overlooked. If you can identify enough long-tail terms that bring targeted visitors, it’s a method worth testing.

***Data on CTR and SERPs courtesy of Optify.

 We read an interesting white paper today from DNA13, “Listening 101: Tips to Integrate Social Media into Your Day-to-Day Media Monitoring,” that got our wheels turning about the value of social media. You’re probably familiar with the story of how Comcast used social media to transform customer service. (If you’re not, read about it now on MojoSocial.) There are dozens of other customer service success stories just like it.

You’ve also heard much about how social media is impacting search, with an increasing importance placed on Facebook shares and Twitter retweets. (You’re not? Check out this post from SEOmoz on the topic.) What you don’t hear much about, however, is the value of social media as a market research tool. In assisted living, nursing homes and other residential care settings, there’s a lot of competition and a lot of emphasis on meeting customer needs. But we’re often so focused on the value of building followers, providing value and engaging conversation, we might forget to listen.

Listen to uncover hidden opportunities

If you’re new to social media, you should start by listening in on the conversation that’s already underway. Google your company name; it’s likely that people are already talking about your assisted living community, somewhere across the web. Don’t you want to know what they’re saying? You might learn that most of your residents’ caregivers are members of the sandwich generation. What activities or events can you plan that would appeal to the whole family? Maybe they’re baby boomers with no plans to retire in the near future. How can you make their role easier? You might find out that there’s something members of your community are wishing for–why not give it to them, if it’s within your means?

Don’t just investigate yourself, though. Check out your competitors, too. Even if your organization focuses solely on assisted living care, there’s much to be learned from investigating skilled nursing facilities and independent living communities in your area, too. Find out what’s missing and fill in the void. Learn what they’re doing and do it better. Uncover problems and offer solutions. This is where the engagement comes in. Once you’ve identified topics of interest (by listening!) you can seamlessly join the conversation. Because you already know their hot buttons, what information they’re seeking, and their common problems, you’re prepared to deliver exactly what they wanted to hear–at exactly the right time.

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Of the many thoughts and ideas that came out of this year’s ALFA Conference & Expo, assisted living executives expressed concern over the possibility of increased federal oversight of the assisted living industry and encouraged fellow leaders to increase their involvement with state associations, according to an article on McKnight’s Long Term Care News. Increased involvement at the state level can give legislators a deeper understanding of assisted senior living and a context within which to strengthen state legislation, says Brenda Bacon, president and CEO of Brandywine Senior Living.

Beacon served alongside other industry leaders at the Senior Living panel at the 2011 ALFA Conference & Expo. She notes that the industry to date has fallen behind the curve when it comes to regulations and says a better strategy is to proactively reach out to legislators to demonstrate the differences between assisted living and other, more institutional models of care, such as skilled nursing facilities.

Another key component discussed by the panel is the implementation of technology into their assisted living communities. Marilyn Duker, of Brightview Senior Living, says her company’s focus is on technologies that improve the quality of care over those that save money. One example is the possible introduction of iPads to direct care managers to update care plans, a concept that could save time, money and improve the quality of care by providing more accurate, timely updates to critical patient records.

As an overall view on the state of the industry, panelists see potential rate growth on the horizon and say occupancy rates have risen slightly.

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