By Susan Saldibar
When I first heard that I would be interviewing Jerry Goehring, co-founder of Saltbox TV, I went right in and added Saltbox to my streaming channels. What a blast from the past! Lots of cool health and wellness programming for seniors, but the real kick was the trip down memory lane with some old classics like The Jack Benny Show, Life of Riley, and even some Laurel and Hardy. They’re constantly updating and adding episodes, so I’ll be checking back often.
Jerry Goehring is the newest partner of iN2L (a Foresight partner). He and Jack York, co-founder of iN2L, were eager to share more about Saltbox TV on iN2L’s platform since it’s really catching fire inside iN2L user communities. I caught up with them recently. (Just listening to the repartee between Jack and Jerry was fun.)
Kindred Spirits Doing Things for the Right Reason
Jerry, I should note, doesn’t come out of the senior care industry. He’s a self-described “Broadway theatre guy”; a Grammy and Tony-nominated producer behind several hits including a musical version of A Christmas Story, among others. The idea for Saltbox TV grew organically from ongoing conversations with his wife and Saltbox TV co-founder Patty Carver, a writer/entertainer who specializes in content for older adults.
Jerry and Patty knew what programming they wanted to offer: wellness, lifelong learning, music, nostalgic TV and movies, and original content. All for free, no contracts and subscriptions with passwords and keys. The challenge was how to get all this great content out to a broader audience of older adults, especially those in assisted living communities. “I needed to find the best out there and iN2L kept popping up,” Jerry says. So, he sent an email to Jack York, fully prepared to either not hear back or to hear what a terrible idea Saltbox TV was. Instead, he was pleasantly surprised. He had found the right partner.
Jerry refers to Jack York and himself as “kindred spirits”, both driven to give back. “I started iN2L because I wanted to do something for the right reason,” Jack says. “That’s how Jerry is. From the start, he reminded me of ‘me’.”
1-Button Access to Content Just for Seniors
As of today, Saltbox TV has over 200 programs streaming. And they have some cool ideas for original programming. “We’re looking at creating an entire series on women cinematographers over 50,” Jerry says. So far it’s a hit with older adults who are pleased to finally find a channel with content tailored to them. Now, through the partnership with iN2L, Jerry’s reach has broadened to serve senior living communities. And iN2L has made it easy with one-touch access to Jerry’s content for residents and community staff.
“We are particular about companies we work with,” Jack explains. “We started iN2L because we felt that we were leaving older adults out of experiencing the benefits of modern technology and needed to bring them in. Saltbox TV is so aligned with that idea. Other streaming services are barely checking the box when it comes to this audience. iN2L has always focused on creating and curating content especially for seniors — it’s the heart of our solution. As the first-ever free streaming service developed exclusively for older adults, Saltbox TV is the perfect complement to iN2L.”
And, while Saltbox TV is now accessible to iN2L-enabled communities, Jerry wants to make sure that everybody can access it. Jack agrees. “While we have exclusive integrated one-touch access to Saltbox on our iN2L platform, it’s important that any adult who has access to an Internet-enabled device should be able to enjoy it.”
A Ripple in the Pond of Resouces for Residents
For Jack, the partnership represents a celebration of aging, a great way to provide content that informs, uplifts, and entertains. “We hear a lot about regulation and restrictions in this industry, which are needed, but can leave an overall negative impression,” Jack says. “What I like is that, together with Jerry, we’re changing the perception of aging in a fun way. It’s a positive change that feels good and is fun to be a part of.”
Clearly, its time has come. And maybe it’s only fitting that it comes from a “Broadway theatre guy”. For Jerry, it’s fun, challenging, and satisfying. “This is new territory for me, and it seems like every day I meet someone who changes my perspective,” Jerry says. “There are so many amazing people who have stories to share. iN2L has blazed a trail to give them resources. I want to be a ripple in the pond with Saltbox TV.”
For more information on how personalized, content-driven engagement experiences are driving value across the senior living model, you should check out iN2L’s latest white paper.
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