Home care marketing in North Park:
a direct mail plan for senior care
By Best Direct Mail, San Marcos · Numbers from USPS and the US Census Bureau
North Park is known for the restaurants and shops of 30th Street and University Avenue, and for a younger crowd. But behind the busy streets are blocks of Craftsman homes and bungalows from the early 1900s, and some of their owners have lived there for decades. Some older residents also rent apartments in the neighborhood, close to the bus lines and shops.
Two people usually decide on care: the older adult and a grown son or daughter who helps. In North Park many residents are that grown child, with a parent somewhere else in San Diego, so a good plan reaches both. Below we start with the public numbers for the 92104 ZIP Code, then go neighborhood by neighborhood: who lives there, what to offer and how to mail it. After that come home care versus assisted living, a year of mailings and what every senior care postcard in California should include.
North Park by ZIP Code
| ZIP Code | Residents 65 or older | Residents 75 or older | Seniors living alone | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 92104 North Park, plus parts of South Park and the University Heights side | 10% | 3% | about 1,590 | $94,014 |
What the columns tell you:
- Residents 65 and 75 or older: where older adults make up the biggest share of the neighborhood, and so where EDDM® wastes the fewest cards. The need for daily help grows with age.
- Seniors living alone: households of one person 65 or older. They are the people most likely to need help at home, and the ones whose families worry most.
- Median household income: higher incomes point to private-pay, live-in and full-service care. Lower incomes point to clear hourly rates, short visits and the benefits you accept.
These figures cover whole ZIP Codes, and single routes inside them can be quite different. Our EDDM® route planner shows income, age and household size for every route before you choose.
Residents 65 and 75 or older, seniors living alone and income are US Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates for the ZIP Code area. Seniors living alone are one-person households of someone 65 or older.
What a mailing costs: $2,682 for 5,000 homes with our recommended 8.5 × 11 EDDM® postcard, including printing and postage. See our EDDM® prices for other quantities.
What to mail in each neighborhood
Burlingame, Dryden and the historic districts (92104)
North Park's historic districts, from Burlingame above Switzer Canyon to the Dryden district near Morley Field, have early-1900s homes and owners who are proud of them. Many have been here a long time, and home values are high, so owners can often pay for more care.
- What to offer: full-service home care, live-in or around-the-clock care, memory care at home and a care manager the family can call.
- How to mail: a mailing list filtered by age and length of residence, since these blocks are small and mixed with younger owners.
Bungalow blocks toward I-805 (92104)
East of 30th Street, bungalows and small homes from the 1910s through the 40s sit next to duplexes and small apartment buildings. Long-time owners live next to renters, and many households watch costs closely.
- What to offer: clear hourly rates, short visits, rides to appointments and help with errands. Say whether you accept long-term care insurance or veterans benefits.
- How to mail: EDDM® to the routes closest to your office, or a mailing list of households by age if you want older residents only.
Condos and apartments along 30th Street and University Avenue (92104)
Around the shops and restaurants, and toward Park Boulevard, North Park has condos and apartment buildings. Many residents here are the grown children who help a parent, and some older residents live alone in these buildings, close to everything they need.
- What to offer: peace of mind for the family: updates after every visit, respite care so the family caregiver can take a break, and for assisted living, a tour the whole family can join.
- Timing: before Thanksgiving, when families get together, and in January, when many of them start calling.
- How to mail: EDDM®. The routes are dense, so each one covers many homes at a low cost per card.
Home care or assisted living: who to mail in North Park
- Home care agencies can mail every home on the routes they serve with EDDM®, or use a mailing list to reach households by age and how long they have lived in the home. The table above shows how many older residents and seniors living alone there are in 92104.
- Assisted living and memory care communities do best mailing every home within a few miles, since families want a parent close by. In North Park that includes the adult children who live here. Pick the routes around your community in our EDDM® route planner and keep the card about the community itself.
- Both should mail the same homes again and again. Families often take months to decide, and the card on the counter when they are ready is the one they call.
Mail also works well beyond homes. Doctors' offices, discharge planners at nearby hospitals such as Scripps Mercy Hospital in Hillcrest, and senior centers refer families every week, and a card or letter to them a few times a year keeps your name in mind. Ask us about a mailing to referral partners in North Park and nearby neighborhoods.
A year of senior care mailings in North Park
| When | Who gets it | What the card says |
|---|---|---|
| Every 4 to 6 weeks | The same routes around your office or community | Who you are, what you help with and one low-pressure next step |
| January to February | Neighborhoods with many older residents and the family neighborhoods nearby | After the holiday visits: a free in-home care assessment or a tour |
| Spring | Neighborhoods with many people living alone | Help around the house, rides to appointments and a friendly visit each week |
| Summer | Family neighborhoods | Respite care while the family caregiver takes a vacation |
| September to October | The routes around your community | An open house, a lunch or a talk for family caregivers, mailed 2 to 3 weeks ahead |
| November | Family neighborhoods and the routes closest to you | Coming home for the holidays? What to look for when you visit, and how to reach you |
You don't need every mailing. Most North Park agencies and communities start by mailing the same nearby routes every month or so, then add the seasonal cards. Our senior care direct mail guide has more ideas for each one.
What every North Park senior care postcard should include
- Your license number. Home care organizations and assisted living communities (Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly, or RCFEs) in California are licensed by the Department of Social Services. Showing the number tells families you are legitimate.
- Who pays, said plainly. Medicare generally does not pay for ongoing non-medical help at home or for assisted living. Don't suggest that it does. Say whether you accept long-term care insurance or veterans benefits, if you do.
- Offers spelled out: what a free assessment or a move-in special includes and when it ends.
- For assisted living, describe the community, not the residents you want. Rooms, care, meals, activities and your location. Communities are housing, and fair housing rules apply to their advertising.
- Large type and a phone number a person answers. Many readers are older, and many callers want to talk to someone right away.
- Where you are in North Park, with a landmark people know and the areas you serve.
These are general points, not legal advice. Your licensing office or an attorney can confirm the exact wording, and we adjust any design to match.
Senior Care postcard designs
Start from one of our ready-made senior care postcards. We add your logo, offer, license number and photos, send you a proof, then print and mail it. Need a custom design, or have your own? Just let us know.
Senior Care marketing plans in other cities
- SanMarcos
- Carlsbad
- ChulaVista
- Clairemont
- Coronado
- DelMar
- ElCajon
- Encinitas
- Escondido
- ImperialBeach
- LaJolla
- LaMesa
- LemonGrove
- NationalCity
- Oceanside
- PointLoma
- Poway
- RanchoBernardo
- Santee
- ScrippsRanch
- SolanaBeach
- Vista
North Park at a glance
- Best areas
- Older residents: the bungalow blocks toward I-805. Full-service and live-in care: Burlingame, Dryden and the historic districts. Adult children: the condos and apartments along 30th Street and University Avenue.
- What it costs
- $2,682 to mail 5,000 homes by EDDM®
- Where to start
- The same routes near your office or community every month, plus a card to local referral partners.
Frequently asked questions
Is North Park a good area for senior care marketing?
Yes, in two ways. Long-time owners in the older homes are a home care audience, and the many younger residents include adult children who choose care for a parent. The table above shows the share of residents 65 and 75 or older and the number of seniors living alone in 92104.
Should a home care agency use EDDM® or a mailing list in North Park?
EDDM® is the cheapest way to reach whole blocks, including the families. A mailing list filtered by age and length of residence works better if you only want older homeowners, such as in the historic districts.
What should a card say to adult children in North Park?
Speak to the family: how you keep them updated, respite care so they can take a break, and an easy first step such as a free in-home assessment or a tour. Many will be helping a parent who lives elsewhere in San Diego, so list the areas you serve.
How often should senior care postcards be mailed?
Every four to six weeks to the same homes. Families often take months to choose care, so being there again and again matters more than reaching a big area once.
Do you mail to North Park?
Yes. Our print shop is in San Marcos, in North County. We print your postcards there and mail EDDM® across San Diego County, including every route in North Park.
Get a quote for your North Park mailing
Tell us which neighborhoods and services you want to focus on. We'll reply with a price for printing and mailing, and the routes or list we recommend.