Elders in Action– Sharing experience. Staying engaged. This community of individuals live life to its fullest. They are active advocates and vibrant volunteers of ALL ages committed to assisting older adults.
One way they stay involved with the community is with their Age Friendly Program, which was developed in 1993 as a way to engage, evaluate and educate businesses and the community on how to involve our aging population.
Visit their website here to see the complete list of partners in the Age Friendly network.
Last month four volunteers visited the Lake Theater & Cafe that has just been remodeled in Lake Oswego. There were other small groups that visited The Pine Needle, The Oilerie, Key Bank, Sofas by Design, and Miller Paint. This was a partnership with the Lake Oswego Adult Community Center.
They had a tour of the theater and than sat down with the owner Drew Prell to discuss their evaluation and discuss the the following key points:
Finding the Building, Parking, Building Entry, Signage & business information, Seating, Restrooms, Stairs, aisles & walkways, Lighting & Flooring, and Customer service. All the notes were recorded in a booklet from the volunteers including their feedback.
With a variety of businesses meeting current building city code issues and trying to appeal to a wide range of ages this was a excellent opportunity to connect and be aware how the older population views your business.
The big surprise really is that the feedback would be helpful for any age group- signage and directing people though a space is vital, were do I go, how do I pay and maneuvering throughout the space safely. Great ideas!
What store or restaurant do you like to visit over and over again- it just feels right?