Techienesters and Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs)/Virtual Retirement Villages aim to support aging in place but operate through different models and structures. Below is a detailed comparison highlighting the similarities and differences between the two.
Similarities
Support for Aging in Place:
Both platforms emphasize supporting older adults to age in their preferred environments, reducing the need for institutional care. They enable older adults to remain in their homes and communities, providing necessary services and support within the community.
Community-Centric Approach:
Techienesters: Fosters a sense of community among its members, encouraging social interaction and community engagement through both physical and online events. Techienesters focuses on creating a supportive community environment by leveraging the volunteerism of older adults within the entire community.
NORCs/Virtual Retirement Villages: Focus on creating a supportive community within specific neighborhoods or buildings, encouraging social bonds and community involvement among residents.
Integrated Services:
Techienesters: Offers a range of services (available on the homepage of techienesters.com) with a strong emphasis on social activities and educational resources to support the needs of seniors.
NORCs/Virtual Retirement Villages: Provide integrated services such as health care, social activities, and support services within the community.
Cost-Effectiveness:
Techienesters: Provides a very low-cost annual membership. The corporate structure of Techienesters is lean and efficient, which allows them to keep costs down while scaling into multiple communities.
NORCs/Virtual Retirement Villages: Offer cost-effective living options by utilizing existing community infrastructure but often require significant investments in maintaining and developing physical locations.
Focus on Independence:
Techienesters: Emphasizes empowering seniors to manage their well-being independently through technology and online resources. It promotes independence by providing services supporting older adults in maintaining their autonomy and quality of life in their homes with a network of volunteers and trained Techienesters advocates.
NORCs/Virtual Retirement Villages: Support older adults in maintaining independence by providing accessible services and support within their immediate community.
Differences
Nature of the Community:
Techienesters: Operates as both a virtual and physical retirement community, servicing entire towns, cities, or regions. It enables members from diverse locations to join and participate in online and physical services, events, and activities.
NORCs/Virtual Retirement Villages: Focus on specific neighbourhoods or buildings, providing a localized community experience.
Service Delivery Model:
Techienesters: Delivers services through a unique and flexible online platform, leveraging volunteerism. Techienesters advocates for a range of services, requirements, and events.
NORCs/Virtual Retirement Villages: Deliver services primarily through in-person interactions within the community, relying on existing local infrastructure.
Social Interaction:
Techienesters: Facilitates social interaction through physical in-person activities and events within the community, fostering direct personal connections among members. It also leverages digital means such as video calls and online events.
NORCs/Virtual Retirement Villages: Depend on physical proximity for social interaction, which may limit participation for some seniors.
Accessibility:
Techienesters: Provides localized physical services, events, and activities accessible to seniors regardless of location, as long as they have internet access and basic digital literacy.
NORCs/Virtual Retirement Villages: Accessibility is limited to those who reside within the physical boundaries of the community.
Scalability:
Techienesters: Stands out with a simple, user-friendly approach to scaling. To join Techienesters, individuals become members and can immediately start enjoying the benefits and services. This straightforward model allows for rapid expansion into new towns, cities, and even countries, making it easy for members to participate without needing to engage in complicated setup processes.
In contrast, the NORCs and Village models require a much more complex development process, typically involving:
First Development Phase:
- Identify existing services and unmet needs.
- Develop a business plan.
- Form working teams.
- Create strategies for implementation.
- Raise funds and hire necessary professionals (lawyers, accountants).
- File incorporation documents.
- Convince people to sign complex legal documents.
- Seek Insurance
Second Development Phase:
- Elect a volunteer Governing council.
- Develop policies and operational frameworks.
- Recruit service volunteers.
- Raise additional start-up funds.
- Set up operating infrastructure.
- Prepare for service delivery.
This extensive process can be time-consuming and resource-intensive, making it difficult for new communities to establish and scale a NORC or Village model quickly.
Community Engagement:
Techienesters: Encourages engagement through both direct and virtual platforms, engaging residents through direct participation in community activities and leveraging physical proximity to build stronger community bonds.
NORCs/Virtual Retirement Villages: Engage residents through direct participation in community activities, but are limited to those residing in the community.
Techienesters Services
Techienesters offers a comprehensive suite of services designed to support older adults in maintaining their independence and quality of life. These services are outlined on their packages page and include:
Social and Community Engagement:
Virtual Gatherings and Events: Includes online social hours, webinars, and classes that allow members to interact, learn, and stay connected from the comfort of their homes.
Physical Events and Activities: Local events such as community walks, book clubs, and workshops that foster in-person interaction and engagement.
Educational Resources:
Online Learning Modules: Access to a variety of courses and tutorials on topics ranging from technology use to financial planning and managing health monitoring tools.
Expert Talks and Seminars: Opportunities to learn from professionals on various senior living and wellness subjects.
Technical Assistance:
Tech Support Services: Help set up and use technology, ensuring that seniors can effectively use digital tools to stay connected and access services.
Digital Literacy Programs: Educational resources to improve seniors’ comfort and proficiency with technology.
Support Services:
Volunteer and Advocacy Support: Assistance from trained volunteers who can help with various needs, from navigating health services to organizing local events.
Home Sweet Home: Consultations on the latest smart technology for safety, health monitoring, and ease of communication, which includes understanding the benefits of automated lighting, temperature control, emergency response systems, and medication reminders.
Personalized Membership Packages:
Customizable Service Options: Members can choose from various service packages that best meet their needs, whether they prefer more virtual interaction or local, in-person services.
Conclusion
While Techienesters and NORCs/Virtual Retirement Villages share the goal of supporting aging in place and fostering community among older adults, they differ significantly in their approach, infrastructure, and service delivery. Techienesters is a scalable platform, allowing rapid expansion to multiple towns, cities, and even countries. It continues to focus on physical communities, emphasizing camaraderie by promoting direct, in-person interactions to provide integrated services and support to older adults within a specific community.
Techienesters staff and advocates handle the heavy lifting of launching in each market they operate in, relieving the pressure on interested members in a new community who, while eager, may feel overwhelmed by the daunting task of organizing a virtual retirement community or NORC.
For those looking to age in place with the support of a vibrant community, Techienesters is the optimal choice. It combines the best aspects of modern technology with a commitment to enhancing the quality of life for seniors, making it the preferred platform for a connected and fulfilling retirement. Embrace the future of senior living with Techienesters, where aging in place is not just a possibility but a thriving reality.
