At some point it often becomes necessary for an older driver to  turn in his or her car keys  and stop driving. The loss of a lifetime of freedom  and mobility while a necessary safety measure is extremely hard to accept.  Providing accessible alternative “on demand” transportation would help older or impaired drivers to transition and forego driving. Safety is the prime reason but we must provide the ability to get from place to place as before. It’s cheaper  and less stressful than hospitalization, court appearances and huge increases in auto insurance premiums after multiple accidents.

 I propose this plan to provide an incentive to certain seniors to give up driving and for periodic refilling of their  transportation account.  Seniors would  sell their cars with the proceeds deposited   in a transportation credit account. Cars are sold at full retail price or close to it with an independent “broker” being paid a nominal commission. Funds received are then placed in a personal transportation account. Trip charges are  deducted from the balance.

• When the balance from initial deposit is low it can
  be filled from time to time or on a regular basis by children, friends, family or the user. The pattern is similar to the establishment and replenishment of  an EZ pass account. I especially like the “easy pass” concept of children replenishing the transportation account on a regular basis.
• Transportation would be provided by a taxi company, limousine service or by a  paid corps of volunteers. Rates could be adjusted for slow or peak times. Trip  assignment would be made by a single call to a central one-stop dispatcher. Billing – with a reasonable tip for the driver – would be automatically deducted from the senior’s account.
• Accounting and administration including one stop phone
  dispatching service would be concentrated in one agency.
• A great  source of transportation would be a large corps of senior “volunteers” organized under a 501(c) (3). The drivers would use their own vehicles and receive a nominal hourly fee. The “paid volunteer” transportation service also provides both a source of 55+ employment and transporation both of the major needs cited by seniors.

It is the primary function and the essential job for teachers in Montgomery County’s elementary and high schools to provide intensive English language, basics and civic education. Montgomery County is now diverse and multi-cultural. These newer residents left their birthplaces to seek aspects of “The American Dream” for themselves and their families. Their ultimate goal and ours, is citizenship and a place in our society for their children. In multi-generational households it is the children who will “teach America” to their parents and grand-parents. Education is “viral” and moves upward generationally.

Schools don’t have the time, the teachers or the assets for less important diversions. Pan-culturalism is fine but ‘Teaching America’ must come first. Civic education defines a common culture and will inspire students to greater goals.

Teach first, then treat the 13,000 elementary school students who now have limited English ability as ambassadors. Nurture each family’s American Dream, their hopes and aspirations. Encourage the children not only to learn but also to bring home to their families, the beauty of our language, our history and values.

IMAGINING AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING NOV 20TH 2011 

Jane Jacobs said “Old ideas can sometimes use new buildings. New ideas must use old buildings.”

 Michael Kimmelman’s provocative article in the Arts Section of the NY Times on November 17th 2011, should inspire the creation of a significant amount of affordable, well-located rental housing not only for the “homeless” but for our growing senior population to age in place and for younger students and workforce housing.  These potential residences will house one or at most two people who will eagerly swap space for small reasonably priced rentals,   walkable to shops, parks, libraries, offices and public transportation.  The need for truly affordable, accessible housing is made more pressing by the explosive growth of our senior population.

 Old factories, SRO hotels, loft buildings, depressed tenement buildings, schools and government buildings are now being converted into new luxury hotels  and new smaller residential housing units.  Such conversions are profitable and privately developed.  Private developers usually  respond quickly to simplified zoning, reduced   taxes and stimulation incentives allowing density.  Government must continue to control safety, zoning, building standards, upkeep and above all must maintain long term affordability.  Regulation is reminiscent of the 1960’s “Artist in Residence” rules which allowed conversion of unused commercial lofts to residences and studios.

 Older buildings require ideas and design innovation. New developments can be built with full floors in a high rise condominium containing more small l well designed units, perhaps containing  elements of universal design, owned and/or managed by a single entity which leases  those units and receives tax benefits in exchange for maintaining  quality units with affordable rents and increases based on cost of living .

 A coalition of developer, consumer and government groups is being organized  to  create the reality inspired by Mr. Kimmelman’s “imagination”.

 CHARLES KAUFFMAN

     “TOTAL LIFE CARE INSURANCE (TLCI) ”: AFFORDABLE . PRIVATE  SECTOR , POPULAR,     PROFITABLE LONG TERM CARE INSURANCE

     The insurance industry has dismally failed to address the unfulfilled demand for Long Term Care insurance policies. A huge market exists for this critical coverage, a market created by: (i) a growing demand to provide long term care services to a rapidly aging population; and, (ii) a need to relieve Federal and State governments of this significant financial burden. The dimming prospects of the CLASS Act should encourage insurance industry giants to exploit this lucrative unmet market with “new” modifications of highly profitable life insurance policies. Approximately 60% of individuals over the age of 65 will need long term care during their lifetimes, but most will not be able to afford it nor pass the physical requirement needed to obtain it. Consequently, most seniors will turn to Medicaid for government assistance.

     Insurance giants such as Genworth, Prudential and MetLife and AARP have not responded creatively to the lack of appeal  of stand-alone Long Term Care products. The few hybrid Long Term Care policies that do exist are based on an “annuity” template which requires allocations from personal savings and investments. However, these hybrids have limited appeal due to stringent life and long term care insurance requirements which exclude eligibility because of preexisting conditions. This, in turn, narrows the market to a very few affluent, eligible seniors. Another sales inhibitor that limits current market appeal is the fact that premiums already paid for stand-alone Long Term Care insurance policies are “lost’ if not used.

      The potential exists for privatization and making the long term care insurance industry profitable through a simple policy innovation and creative marketing to  expand  the insurance pool to include a large base of  younger families.

       SIMPLE MARKETING STRATEGY FOR “TOTAL LIFE CARE              INSURANCE (TLCI)”
      1. ADD A “NEW” BENEFIT AT MINIMAL COST. Merely adding a clause to conventional Term, Universal or Whole Life policies allowing prepayments for expenses needed for in-home or institutional Long Term Care. Lifetime advances would be deducted from the final death benefit. The risk to the insurer is minimized since most seniors regard institutional care as a desperate last resort. Statistically the average stay in a nursing home is 18 months at an estimated cost of $60,000 exclusive of medical payments. These factors and the “death benefit” cap reduce an insurer’s risk, resulting in a minimal increase in premiums for he additional coverage. Extending life through long term care might even prolong premium payments.
   2. TARGET A YOUNGER MARKET. Stop using the term “Long Term Care.” Young people simply do not contemplate Long Term Care as an inevitable or foreseeable future need. They see Long Term Care insurance as something for older people. What appeals to them is robust protection for life — for their families — and this added enhancement for only a slightly higher premium. The affordability of significantly more lifetime protection is an attractive selling point. Use “branding” to create customer loyalty.
   3. INSTILL LIFETIME LOYALTY. Facilitate premium payments using a simplified IRA payroll deduction plan, a roll-over with job changes and a COBRA type plan in the event of unemployment. Stability is achieved by maintaining the rates established at the inception of the policy at an early age.

     The insurance industry should wake up and realize that providing this much needed long term coverage is highly profitable, widely popular with consumers and beneficial to the national economy.
Charles Kauffman
November 2011

Some think they’re strong,

Some think they’re smart,

Like butterflies they’re pulled apart,

America can break your heart.

You don’t know all, sir, you don’t know all.

(‘Paul Bunyan’, operetta, Benjamin Britton & W. H. Auden, 1939)

Nicole Roberts: Meet Summer Intern Nicole Roberts

When Nicole K. Roberts arrived at Temple Micah as the Tisch summer intern for 2011, it was not as a stranger. She was familiar with Micah, having attended occasional services over the years while visiting family and spending a student summer in Washington. So, when Rabbi Larry Hoffman, director of the Tisch fellowships, suggested that Micah “would be a really good fit” with her interests, she jumped at the chance.

When Nicole K. Roberts arrived at Temple Micah as the Tisch summer intern for 2011, it was not as a stranger. She was familiar with Micah, having attended occasional services over the years while visiting family and spending a student summer in Washington. So, when Rabbi Larry Hoffman, director of the Tisch fellowships, suggested that Micah “would be a really good fit” with her interests, she jumped at the chance.

“I couldn’t imagine any place I’d rather go,” she recalled responding.

Roberts completed her Master’s degree at Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati in May and will be ordained next summer. Her big task until then: her thesis on the meaning of silence in the Jewish tradition, particularly in the Bible and the teachings of the rabbis.

The rabbinate is a second career for Roberts. Her pre-seminary life divides neatly in halves. Eighteen years growing up in Manhattan, then 18 years in Nashville, where she attended Vanderbilt University, became a CPA, and married. Although Judaism played no major role in her early life, Congregation Micah in Nashville became increasingly important to her and her husband, David. They were looking for a community and as they got deeper and deeper into Jewish life, the congregation there became a second family.

At the same time, accounting seemed less and less fulfilling. “For me, it wasn’t working,” she says. The tipping point for Roberts came in 2005 when she attended the five-day kallah sponsored by the Union for Reform Judaism at Franklin Pierce College in New Hampshire.

The intense study of Jewish texts within “a very uplifting community” gave her two central insights: “I wanted immersion in that” and “age 35 isn’t too late to reinvent yourself.”

Roberts admits that it was a huge decision, but she plunged into studying modern Hebrew–a prerequisite for admission to HUC–and 18 months later applied to the seminary. She entered in the fall of 2007, spending her first year in Jerusalem. The next goal is to become a congregational rabbi — and to live in the same city with David and their Jack Russell terrier Picnic. When she embarked on this journey, they decided that they could handle a commuting marriage for a maximum of five years.

Like the rabbinic interns who have served at Micah during the summers of 2009 and 2010, Roberts has three key assignments while with us:

– presiding at some Friday night and Saturday morning Sabbath services,

– helping select the Elul Project readings sent to all members daily during the month before Rosh Hashanah, and

– working on the prayer book for the children’s services on the High Holidays.

The summer internship is only part of the Tisch fellows program, a highly select grouping of five students from each seminary class. The program is funded by Bonnie Tisch, who runs a Tisch family fund named Mentor Partners. It includes a study of the sociology of religion in the United States, designed to help student rabbis profit from approaches that are successful in other denominations; a personal examination by each student of his or her own spirituality; and helping them, in Roberts’ words, “learn how to lead out of who you are, what you believe.”

[By Dan Moskowitz; from June-July-August 2011 Vine]

VAMOOSE BUS DONATES TICKETS TO FAMILIES AND FRIENDS OF NIH PATIENTS.

 Vamoose Bus, the popular, express bus service between New York City and Bethesda, MD, will be donating 4 round trip tickets daily to families and friends of patients presently staying at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center. The service is  available to friends and family of wounded warriors at Walter Read Navy Medical Hospital and Children’s Inn at NIH.

  “The expense of frequent trips to visit patients can be a great financial burden on families,” said Sam Bluzenstein, President of Vamoose Bus. “Our company is pleased to provide this free service, to assist families in their time of need.”   The program will outreach to Children’s Inn at NIH, Edmond J. Safra Family Lodge, Friends of the Clinical Center, and Special Love, Inc.  

 Randy Schools, President of NIH Recreation and Welfare Association  announced the commencement of this new service.   Priority will be given on financial need. Friends and family should Contact Kallie at NIH 301 496 6061 wassermankt@mail.nih.gov.

 Vamoose Bus provides economy luxury scheduled bus service between New York’s Penn Station and  Bethesda, Arlington and Lorton VA with convenient stops near the Metro and at Lorton VRE. Vamoose offers regular service at $30 each way and  super luxury Vamoose Gold buses for slightly more. Each dollar spent earns a bonus credit toward a free trip. Over 60 scheduled buses per week for rider convenience.  For Vamoose schedules,  information or to make reservations contact www.vamoosebus.com or call 301 718 0036 or 212 695 6766.

 Media contact Charles Kauffman 301 467 9336 charles@kauffman.com . www.kauffman.com

 Military and US Government employees  should visit www.recgov.org 

Kauffman.com – Marketing to Seniors #1

KAUFFMAN.COM – MARKET FOR SENIORS, NOT TO THEM!

Charles Kauffman, CEO of Kauffman.com, says ‘the 55+ market embraces seniors, boomers and their families and they have lots of discretionary dollars and fewer obligations”. Almost every type of business or organization will benefit by cultivating this rapidly growing, diverse, multi-segmented, huge audience. They comprise over 12% of the population and consume virtually every type of service and product.

Connecting involves more than traditional public relations and media advertising. Older adults respond to sensitivity, respect and honesty, they need time and attention.  Appealing to them demands a medley of PR, direct marketing, event engagement, advertising and community relations techniques. Kauffman.com places its clients in high- profile, well publicized local and national events and activities. It engages them in coalitions, committees and events where they work with key members of major organizations. Active engagement builds personal friendships and deepens professional relations, heightens public awareness and gains media attention. A well-publicized association with a major organization will also make them more visible and more credible. Kauffman often engages clients as speakers to provide content to create interesting and informative events for seniors. It also uses new internet communications, applications and social networks.

Medium and small business owners don’t have time to manage, sell, and market. They compensate by spending more money on expensive unproductive and unfocussed media advertising and spend valuable time on vacuous networking. Kauffman.com actually reduces their advertising and promotional spending. It creates real credibility, more engagement and makes a positive social and economic impact on them individually and in their communities.

Chuck Kauffman is a senior, and believes that  “it takes one to know one”. He has a strong record of producing real growth for its clients delivering their services, products or mission statements to larger more receptive audiences. They get more bang for their buck and achieve impressive returns. Contact charles@kauffman.com for a brief, free consultation.

THE HUGE ECONOMIC BENEFIT OF 55+ SENIORS, BOOMERS AND OLDER ADULTS

THE HUGE ECONOMIC BENEFIT OF 55+ SENIORS, BOOMERS AND OLDER ADULTS*                                                                                    by Charles Kauffman, CEO Kauffman.com

The 2010 US Census reported that 119,769 individuals In Montgomery County MD of the populations are 65 or over with 58% being females. By the year 2020, the number of seniors is projected to grow to 156,000, a 30% increase in a ten year span of time. Older adults in the County are less likely to have significant debts. Only 43% are still paying a mortgage, compared to 91% of home owners under 65. Few have young dependents living at home and have no education related or child rearing expenses. They are one or two person households. By and large they are healthy, with major medical expenses covered by Medicare.  Social Security plus some retirement pensions supplement their income.  Estimated per capita income is about $35,000 per year. Although these income levels are lower than the 35-55 age segment, household expenses are lower and therefore disposable income is higher.  Major family and home expenses no longer burden them. Food and energy and gas expenses have risen but excluding them, other cost of living expenses have risen only slightly.  The lag in the housing market has little effect on this segment and 93% are aging or residing in their own homes and are less likely to move.

 The Urban Institute** observed that many in this group have delayed retirement and stay full or part time in the work force.  Keeping active older adults employed, increases tax revenue and contributes to economic growth. Active engagement or employment, decreases social isolation, increases health, personal wealth, tax revenues, lowers costs enhancing businesses’ competitive advantages and strengthens local and state economies.

  The NGA Center*** in Washington DC  noted that even when older adults want to work, volunteer or learn new skills, too many of them do not have connections to opportunities and it offered some suggestions. 

• Establish public-private partnerships to review the issue of engagement;
• Increase awareness of the benefits of work, volunteering and education;
• Create connections between older adults, work, volunteer and education opportunities;
• Strengthen engagement opportunities in state aging, workforce and education systems; and
• Encourage employees, public and private, to remain in the workforce longer, reconnect to work after retirement and volunteer.

 The 2010 census estimated that total retail sales in Montgomery County were $13.4 billion and per capita retail spending was above $14,000. Aside from basic expenses like food, gasoline, utilities, car and home insurance we assume that one-half to one-third of older adult income is disposable income – where, why and how do they spend or invest $1.4 billion? How do they spend their spare time?

Can for-profit and non-profit organizations, communicate, engage, benefit and capitalize on this vast economic and labor resource?  Can business and government focus on and appeal to this group? Can society employ this vast army of volunteers productively?  The answer is a conditional- YES!

 The blog entitled, ‘MARKET FOR SENIORS, NOT TO THEM!’ on www.kauffman.com****’ states:

“Connecting involves more than traditional public relations and media advertising. Older adults respond to sensitivity, respect and honesty, they need time and attention.  Appealing to them demands a medley of PR, direct marketing, event engagement, and advertising and community relations techniques. Kauffman.com places its clients in high- profile, well publicized local and national events and activities. It engages them in coalitions, committees and events where they work with key members of major organizations. Active engagement builds personal friendships and deepens professional relations, heightens public awareness and gains media attention. A well-publicized association with a major organization will also make them more visible and more credible. Kauffman often engages clients as speakers to provide content to create interesting and informative events for seniors. It also uses new internet communications, applications and social networks.

Medium and small business owners don’t have time to manage, sell, and market. They compensate by spending more money on expensive unproductive and unfocussed media advertising and spend valuable time on vacuous networking. Kauffman.com has actually reduced their advertising and promotional spending. Marketing for seniors creates real credibility, more engagement and makes a positive social and economic impact on them individually and in their communities.”

 Contact charles@kauffman.com 301 467 9336 with questions, comments or for more information.

 References:

*“THE HUGE ECONOMIC BENEFIT OF 55+ SENIORS, BOOMERS AND OLDER ADULTS” By Charles Kauffman, Esq., www.kauffman.com /blogs

**”CAPITALIZING ON THE ECONOMIC VALUE OF OLDER ADULTS’ WORK””. Eric J. Toder, Richard W. Johnson, Gordon B.T.Mermin and Serena Lei, URBAN INSTITUTE. www.urban.org

*** “MAXIMIZING THE POTENTIAL OF OLDER ADULTS: Benefits to State Economies and Individual Well-Being.” By Linda Hoffman, NGA CENTER FOR BEST PRACTICES, www.nga.org

**** “MARKET FOR SENIORS NOT TO SENIORS”, Charles Kauffman, Esq., www.kauffman.com /blogs

 © 2011 Charles Kauffman

CROSS- CULTURAL MARKETING- A MUST FOR MONTGOMERY COUNTY

By Charles Kauffman, CEO Kauffman.com

 The 2010 Census indicates that Montgomery County like most of the U.S. is diverse and multi-cultural. It is a succotash of many separate, segmented groups including Multi:  Hispanic, White, Black, Asian, Gay-Lesbian, Seniors, native and foreign born residents and it is peppered with a vast diversity of religions. Each group has its own organization and leadership within the County with some better organized than others.

 The County’s current “specialized” approach attempts to appeal, connect and communicate individually to each diverse group.  While, the effort is noble – that approach won’t work. It is beyond our financial, administrative and marketing capability. 

 A better marketing approach and one that is more likely to succeed would be to appeal to these groups” pan- culturally”.  Focus on marketing County services to wider consumer similarities rather than individual cultural differences.

 Abandon the effort to fashion dozens of individual approaches – leave that job to the leaders of each of the diverse groups. County efforts should focus on finding, defining and focusing on those elements that these groups have in common. Then build programs, communications based on common needs, aspirations and goals which are helpful and meaningful to most or all these groups. The ultimate goal should be to bring these groups to a common place and to find places in common for the County to approach all of them.  

 After defining common elements the County might focus on creating an image – that Montgomery County an attractive place for families to live, work and assimilate into society. Then the County would create goals and aspirations for all which are achievable, “patriotic” and pragmatic.