Photos: Communispace Unwraps Complexities and Market Implications of the
'Sandwich Generation'
New Research Provides a Layered Look at Challenges Faced by Caregivers of Both
Children and Parents
BOSTON, Nov. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Communispace, a leading provider of online
customer insight communities, today released the findings from its latest
research, "The Sandwich Situation: A layered look at the complex lives of
multi-generational caregivers," providing an in-depth analysis of the lives,
needs and choices of this growing population. Over 20 million Americans find
themselves "sandwiched;" simultaneously taking care of aging parents while
raising small children and teenagers. Communispace looked across their
communities at sandwiched men and women to generate insights, through earnest
and intelligent listening, that will help brands better understand this
emerging consumer segment and drive innovation for a variety of industries,
including insurance, financial services, pharmaceutical, healthcare and
travel.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to:
http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/communispace/40988/
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091103/NY04052 )
One of the most significant findings to emerge from Communispace's research is
that the sandwich generation is more of a situation than a quantifiable age
group. Members range from their 20s to their 60s, and the challenges they face
span income and geographies. Communispace learned that sandwiched people view
caring for their children as a natural and rewarding aspect of life, but feel
that caring for aging parents is a stressor that is unexpected, unpredictable
and incredibly frustrating. Despite these findings, sandwiched people are
overwhelmingly more likely to sacrifice to help their parents, even at the
sake of their own children:
-- 58 percent said they would give a spare bedroom to an aging parent
over
their young adult child
-- 65 percent said they would move in with an ailing parent, even if it
meant a longer commute and/or a new school for their children
-- 77 percent would change their purchasing behavior to accommodate their
parents; for example, choosing a car with a larger trunk to hold a
parent's walker over one that is comfortable or gets good gas mileage
"We were struck by how strongly members felt about off-target marketing
messages," noted Julie Wittes Schlack, Communispace's SVP of Innovation and
Design and a lead researcher on the project. "Advertisements that relied on
fear-mongering and sugar-coating were absolutely repellant to people; but
messaging that was realistic, reassuring and empowering was seen very
positively. Marketing messages have to strike that balance between reassurance
and realism, innovation and tradition."
The study also revealed a need for products and services targeted specifically
to this unique market segment.
-- 47 percent would like the ability to carry both their parents and
their
children on their health insurance, and 45 percent highly ranked a
flexible long-term care policy that would cover their parents and
themselves at different points in time
-- 26 percent liked the idea of a service to dispense or remind their
parents to take their medication
-- 22 percent liked the idea of a service to install webcams in their
homes
or that of their parents
-- 26 percent liked the idea of airline packages that would provide
discounts on multiple trips to the same location or offer a reduced
rate
for children
Caring for elderly parents is not a concern limited to boomers; 83 percent of
the Millennials participating in this study are already thinking about how
they'll handle this challenge.
"Not only did participants suggest ideas for the product categories you'd
expect, such as insurance or healthcare, but they talked about the brands and
services they rely on across many other domains, such as personal care,
cleaning products, and food and beverage," Wittes Schlack continued. "For
Millennials and boomers alike, the need for products providing comfort and
reliability suggests new opportunities for brands not usually associated with
caring for the elderly."
To learn more about Communispace's sandwich generation research, and download
a copy of the report, please visit:
http://www.communispace.com/research/abstract/?Type=Cultural%20Context&Id=69.
About Communispace
Communispace Corporation is the leader in helping major brands generate
game-changing customer insights via online communities. Founded in 1999, the
company has created more than 350 customer communities for industry leaders
such as Kraft, Hewlett-Packard, Charles Schwab, Hallmark, Unilever,
GlaxoSmithKline and Hilton Hotels Corporation. Headquartered in Watertown,
Massachusetts, the company has offices in New York, San Francisco, London,
Chicago, Atlanta, as well as Sydney, Australia and San Remo, Italy. For more
information, please visit: www.communispace.com.
SOURCE Communispace
Liz Shulof, Greenough Communications, +1-617-275-6522,
lshulof@greenoughcom.com
