7A – Testing the Hypothesis, Part 1

• Opportunity: Family members who have an elder to care for are unable to easily, successfully develop an action plan that produces healthier, safer and more fulfilling lifestyles for everyone involved in the elder’s life because they can’t relate to their needs and safety concerns.

1. The who: Family members who have an elder to care for
2. The what: They are unable to easily, successfully develop an action plan that produces healthier, safe and more fulfilling lifestyles for everyone involved in the elder's life
3. The why: Logistical challenges associated with relating to their needs and safety concerns.

• Testing the who: In terms of others having this need, I'm sure elders themselves who may not have a family have this need personally. There may also be friends and partners, not necessarily family members, who could have this need as well-- depends on who takes care for, or is in charge rather, the elder in question.
• Testing the what: Not every person that cares for an elder has trouble with relating to their needs and safety concerns but more often than not this is a big occurrence. Some also may very well have the need but not the finances to tackle it.
• Testing the why: Those who have the need I identified may want to blame doctors, nursing homes, a home health aide, or even websites that have led them in the wrong path in regards to how to successfully take care of an elder and who to go to for help or information on the matter.
• Interview #1 (55-year-old assisted living facilities ambassador and business owner): The ambassador that I interviewed explained to me that he sees this need in many of the people that contact him regarding assisted living. While touring different assisted living facilities with clients, he admitted that he has been asked questions regarding a possible service that would help them figure out what is best for the elder in question in every aspect.
• Interview #2 (45-year-old realtor and property manager): The realtor that I interviewed expressed that she does not have this need considering she does not take care of an elder. However, she does believe the opportunity exists considering she thinks there always someone out there needing help, specifically those who often can't help themselves, such as elders for instance.
• Interview #3 (20-year-old student): The student that I interviewed stated that she agrees that this need exists. This is because she lives with her elder grandmother who is taken care of by this student's parents and she mentioned that more often than not they have trouble deciding what's best for her grandmother in terms of safety and basic needs.
• Interview #4 (25-year-old graduate student): The student I interviewed said that he wished someone would have taken the time to have a one-on-one sit down to discuss his grandfather's options as well as his necessities. Instead, he said he was basically told what to do and where to go and that was that. He strongly agrees that this need exists and someone should do something about it.
• Interview #5 (20-year-old student): The student that I interviewed mentioned that she never thought about this need until I mentioned it to her. This is because she does not have this need considering her grandparents have passed away and she hasn't experienced this situation or need. She put herself in the shoes of someone who does care for an elder and she believes that she would want a service that would help create a plan that would tailor to her grandparents' specific needs and safety concerns.

• Conclusion: Something I didn't know about the opportunity before is who all would benefit from a solution and who all is actually affected by the need.