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In short, we have created an extraordinary mix where participants can learn about how the various disciplines are involved in meeting the needs of this fast-emerging market segment.
A recent course I taught in Des Moines shows how CAPS classes are opening up discussions about specific aging-in-place issues among participants who have much to share about their experiences with family members and customers.
Communicating with the aging-in-place client is a special challenge, and one that CAPS is meeting head on.These classes are teaching professionals how to view the world from the perspective of a person whose hearing or sight has deteriorated with age, who suffers from severe arthritis or who has to rely on a wheelchair to get around.
In my class, as we started to get into the psychological dimensions of the aging-in-place market, the discussion grew and we gained some insights into how the cooperative efforts of a healthcare professional and a remodeler can sell a job by satisfying the needs of the client.
The occupational therapist in the class explained how to talk to a prospect who was having some difficulties getting used to a wheelchair. And our kitchen builder and remodeler was able to explain some simple solutions to problems that the wheelchair-bound commonly face.
The needs and wants of the client are the real deal makers, and by putting together wide-ranging expertise we can gain a unique understanding of the territory that makes the deal work.
People didn’t just sit in my two-day CAPS class and listen to what an instructor had to say. They had things worth saying, and things worth listening to.
As a result, everybody received a good introduction and orientation to a market that is going to be huge. And they learned the value of networking with their peers and the value of cultivating cooperative relationships even in an industry where the competition can be fierce.
Mike Weiss is chairman of the NAHB Remodelors™ Council.
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