Is Your Website Senior-Friendly?

If you’re a retirement property developer, senior living provider or market to the senior demographic, your website is one of the most powerful tools you have to connect with potential residents and their families. But here’s the big question: is it genuinely senior-friendly?

It’s all too easy to assume that because you’ve ticked the boxes on branding, visuals, and property listings, your website is doing its job. But when you take a step back and look through the eyes of your audience, you might find a very different story.

We work with brands in the retirement sector, and we’ve seen firsthand how a website can either inspire trust or create barriers. Here are some of the key areas where many developers and providers fall short…

Accessibility

Large type and good contrast aren’t optional. They’re essential. Seniors need websites designed with accessibility in mind. Adjustable text sizes, easy-to-read fonts, clear contrast ratios, and compatibility with screen readers. If your site relies on faint greys, small buttons, or complex dropdown menus, you’re already excluding a significant proportion of your audience.

Navigation

Think about how your menus are structured. Can someone find key information such as available properties, costs, care options, and contact details in just a few clicks? Overcomplicated navigation, hidden pages, or jargon-heavy menu labels don’t just frustrate older visitors; they drive them away. Clarity and simplicity should always come first.

Representation

Too often, retirement living websites feature stock images of people in their mid-60s laughing over coffee. But seniors aren’t one age group or lifestyle. Your imagery should reflect the diversity of later life. Active people, adventurous people, people with mobility aids, couples, singles, and multi-generational family interactions. Representation matters; it makes people feel seen, welcomed, and understood.

Language

The language on your site sets the tone for the whole brand. Are you talking at seniors, or talking with them? Overly clinical terms, euphemisms, or corporate jargon can create distance. What works best is warm, straightforward, and respectful copy that acknowledges choice, independence, and dignity.

Calls to Action

Every visitor should know exactly what to do next. Whether it’s “Book a viewing,” “Download a brochure,” or “Speak to our team,” your calls to action need to be clear, consistent, and accessible on every page. Too many sites bury enquiry forms or make visitors jump through hoops to take the next step. If it’s not easy, it’s not working.

Why This Matters

For many seniors and their families, choosing a retirement property or housing option is a huge life decision. Your website should guide, reassure, and empower them, not confuse or alienate. A senior-friendly site isn’t just about usability; it’s about building trust and credibility from the very first click.

Beyond the Web

According to Age UK, more than 1 in 3 over-65s (4.7 million) lack the basic skills to use the internet successfully. This presents two different challenges.

The first being that a close friend or family member will be helping them use the internet, possibly a very different demographic. And secondly, your website isn’t being used at all by a third of your target market. So, when you run campaigns, always ensure you offer multiple calls to action, with at least one not requiring internet usage.

Senior Marketing Experts

Harrison Carloss have over 30 years of experience in the retirement sector, and we’ve learned a thing or two about how to connect with an older demographic. We help businesses do more than just build more accessible, senior-friendly websites; we find ways to truly connect with your audience, both online and offline.

If you’re not sure whether your website or marketing passes the “senior-friendly” test, we can help you find out and fix what’s holding you back.

For retirement living providers, your website and campaigns aren’t just part of your marketing toolbox; they’re someone’s first step toward their future home. Make sure you give the right first impression.