A new offering in LTC amenities: Electric charging stations

Right off the bat I’ll tell you that I’m not a person who will even leave the toaster plugged in, so purchasing a hybrid is not on my bucket list. But for a growing segment of the population it’s the only  way to travel.

In Maryland, Oak Crest Village, an Erickson Living retirement community, has installed its first electric charging station this summer. Environmental responsibility is part of the community’s culture. Residents participate in multistream recycling, maintenance of the community’s nature trail and, according to Jeff Getek, Oak Crest public affairs manager, one resident even spearheaded and application for community to become a certified wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation.

So when Daniel Kott, 87, moved to Oak Crest in 2012, he asked whether a charging station was available. Administration saw the potential for adding this service to its list of amenities.

“Before I moved to Oak Crest, I drove about 10,000 miles per year. When I got home, I would plug the car in and it would be fully charged,” said Kott, a retired computer programmer, said in a release. Now he drives to run errands and shop primarily but, to him, it’s an environmentally friendly way to travel.

As expected, California leads the nation in the hybrid car market. And Baby Boomers purchased a higher percentage of hybrid vehicles than any other generational group, according to a 2013 Experian report. Many older adults on senior living campuses continue to drive, and some have made the switch to hybrid vehicles.

This is clearly a trend worth watching. Electric charging stations are available in various price points and styles, ranging from single-user units to those designed for multiple user access. “Being on the cutting-edge of technology is important in serving current residents and attracting new customers to our campus,” said Oak Crest Executive Gary Hibbs in a release.

Photo caption: Oak Park resident Daniel Kott plugs his hybrid car into the community’s electric charging station.

Sandra Hoban

Sandra Hoban was on I Advance Senior Care / Long-Term Living’s editorial staff for 17 years. She is one of the country’s longest-serving senior care journalists. Before joining Long-Term Living, she was a member of the promotions department at Advanstar Communications. In addition to her editorial experience, Sandi has served past roles in print and broadcast advertising as a traffic and talent coordinator.