Unique research gives voice to older adults in healthcare
"Our research material is unique because we focus on an important consumer group that is rarely highlighted in marketing. We give older adults a voice, rather than letting family members speak for them. Previous studies that rely on relatives' stories risk overlooking the older adults’ experiences, which can lead to insufficient knowledge about them as consumers and their well-being," explains Professor Johanna Gummerus from Hanken School of Economics and Associate Professor Catharina von Koskull from the University of Vaasa.
Together with Emerita Professor Laurie Anderson and Professor Martin Mende from Arizona State University, they have published the article "Immersive Service: Characteristics, Challenges, and Pathways to Consumer Agency" in the Journal of Marketing, the most prestigious journal in the field of marketing research.
The study is based on an ethnographic field study in a residential care facility.
"This context is particularly relevant as we live longer. People over 90 years old are now the fastest-growing age group globally, and according to the World Health Organization (WHO), two out of three elderly people will need long-term care and support," say Gummerus and von Koskull.
The research introduces the concept of immersive service, which refers to a service that consumers are embedded in and surrounded by, in the sense that their life experience is within the service and, in great part, constructed by it for some period of time.
"Consumers often experience immersive services in healthcare such as hospital stays and residential care, in education for example in schools and universities, or in the hospitality and travel industry, for example on flights and at resorts," says Gummerus.
The researchers have identified various characteristics that can limit the consumer's ability to act independently and make their own decisions regarding immersive services. These limitations often arise as a compromise between the consumer's freedom on the one hand and safety and professional practice on the other.
The researchers identify two central strategies to support consumer agency within immersive services.
"We recommend utilizing technology and developing relationships and empathy. Digital solutions can give consumers greater autonomy. For example, virtual experiences can enrich daily life and expand the physical environment. It is also important to increase consumer participation and inclusion by considering individual needs, desires, and life situations.