A short while ago I posted on the topic of Age Friendly Communities. You seemed to enjoy and agree that maybe we should be awarding a badge to those businesses we think meet our criteria.
So here goes:
The First to be given the award for an AgeFriendlyBusiness is The Wee Lochan Restaurant in Glasgow.
The award is for their thought in addressing the needs of older customers. They will always give you a quiet table, they have a happy but quiet atmosphere, we can talk to each other! The chairs are comfortable and the access is good. But best of all is the caring kind welcome and service you receive. And I just love the rack of spare reading glasses…In Case You Forgot! They know about later years!
Plus of course lovely food. Congratulations.
The Second AgeFriendlyBusiness Award goes to The Green Park Hotel in Pitlochry.
The hotel is exceptional in that it has thought through everything that would allow an older person and their family to enjoy a break here. Wheelchair friendly spaces and rooms, bathroom grab rails, lifts etc, but most of all, a total commitment to and understanding of the needs of some quite frail people. Warm, very helpful staff, lovely comfortable sitting spaces with views over the river both inside and out, games, putting green, even a jigsaw table and afternoon tea free.
The business has created and expertly filled a much needed niche and it has worked! The perfect example is that they provide a specially adapted coach, low level step, wheelchair accessible to take anyone who wishes to the wonderful Pitlochry Theatre every night.
Principles of the Award
As it happens, these two businesses are in the upper end of their market. That is not intentional. Though the fact that they have made a significant effort to be Age Friendly may well be the key to their success.
The Award will always be for businesses of any size or type which have clearly gone through an obvious process of thinking through the variety of needs that the increasing population of older people are generating.
News!
This weeks Award goes to Dairy Crest and their Cathedral City Cheese for its easy to tear packaging.
How do we get more companies to understand that the growing Ageing Market needs easy opening packaging? Preferably tested for real on panel of over 75s!
Sometimes feel we shall starve!
Very happy to receive nominations from anyone who knows of a business which fits.
I will definitely look out for some good age friendly businesses!