Most of my friends and colleagues know that I had a hip replacement a couple of weeks ago. Yes, I know. I'm pretty young for this, so it has been a huge mental transition for me. It is hard to think of myself as a person with any limitations, however temporary.
I'm younger than the Baby Boomer generation, many of whom are already dealing with the challenges of aging. Marketers, like me, are putting a lot of thought into understanding what motivates and attracts this demographic. So, I've learned a few things:
- We have choices about our healthcare. Open access to a plethora of information allows us to make informed choices - doctors, health plans, medications, etc. Time to stop treating us like we're ignorant.
- Quality of life is important, and we don't "want" medical issues or their solutions to interfere with our ability to work, travel, or otherwise live an active lifestyle. When there is more than one treatment option, we will place huge importance on the impact on our lives. (I chose the doctor and hip replacement technique that promised greater range of motion.)
- Many of us care about how we look. We're not caving in without a fight. Time to think of mobility aids as fashion accessories. If I have to use a cane, I want it to match my outfit. (I'm only half-kidding.)
Basically, we haven't changed, but our bodies have. We're still consumers. We grew up on TV shows and movies where bionics and medical marvels were de rigueur. Now we're ready to buy them.
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