My last post about all signs pointing to a scant senior future was unapologetically foreboding, but never fear — I am back with a plan to mitigate any hand-wringing it may have inspired. In communication and marketing land, it’s known as a “call to action,” or CTA, so let’s jump right into that before we bust a collective rod over how we will navigate the crowded, increasingly older and decidedly underfunded and overstretched Golden Years experience waiting for us on the horizon — shall we?

Basically, the CTA for designing our very best, most Grandest-planned second half is to run with one of the following three actionable items:

1) Develop a business plan for a service or company that can provide much-needed resources for this demographic and make lots and lots of money!

Kidding, not kidding. If I was good at Algebra II and wasn’t so introverted and risk-averse, I would be figuring out a way to capitalize on the many shortfalls in senior services, amenities and resources and improve the outcomes for everyone, while lining my pocketbook lol. I would get into senior housing development and assisted living facility construction and age-in-place home construction services and retirement community planning. I’d buy into medical companies that provide geriatric care services and caregiving placement firms and figure out how to attract and retain and endless well of higher-paid, better trained caregivers. I’d start or invest in professional firms that provide geriatric care management, daily money management and care scheduling services, like my heroic and hardworking friend Heather Bayfield, who founded Life Management Advisors and Care Management Advisors many moons ago (because she saw the signs!) and has been tremendously successful in her work. I might consider selling long term care insurance. I would invest in inventive companies that deliver seniors-specific goods, foods and products and if nothing else, I would offer my own driving services and make BANK driving older adults around town, at least until I myself needed to become a passenger. The business opportunities to meet the demands of this wonderful, smart, HUGE and growing market are really endless.

2) Dream up a charitable or nonprofit organization that can provide much-needed resources for this demographic and make a difference!

Seeing the needs, trends and deficits and throwing your heart at it all by establishing a charitable venture also can fulfill the mission. There are so many great examples of this happening around the country. In Jacksonville, Joanne Hickox founded the nonprofit Seniors on a Mission because she saw a need for more seniors to have purpose and share their volunteer strengths. That evolved into an outreach of mobile technology instruction and other service work. And that eventually developed into an even more concrete way to serve the market: to provide low cost housing in a community, working farm environment for seniors to live, serve and find purpose in a concept called the G3 Village. Those plans are gaining momentum and one day soon, will be helping to fill the gap of senior housing in Northeast Florida. ElderSource is another great example. Its nonprofit mission is to “empower people to live and age with independence and dignity in their homes and community.” Its main responsibilities are to: identify the needs of elders and caregivers in our service area; develop plans to meet these growing needs of our aging population; contract with local agencies to deliver services to clients who need help; and provide oversight of the contracts, ensuring good stewardship of funds and quality services.

3) Study the numbers and signs and trends, talk about it all with your people and alter your own Grand Plans accordingly.

This is the easiest and most attainable CTA of the three, and all it takes is an investment of your time and an acceptance of the possibilities. Also, it requires your flexibility with outcomes and a willingness to change it all up if you must. Most of all, this option requires an open mind and a readiness to understand the options. While you may not reap the same paybacks or credit as you would starting a new for-profit or nonprofit business, the rewards are priceless when it comes to being realistic, communicative and well educated about your Grand Planning work and sharing it openly with your loved ones, friends and community. This is a plan in which we can all invest and find success!