A no-step entrance, wheel chairs at the front door for customer use, spacious aisles, great lighting, personalized assistance and a courteous, respectful service team:- special features like these help make a business "Elder Friendly".

By the year 2010, one in every three Americans will be turning age 50 or more. Older adults represent a large and growing consumer group with clear implications for business: Improved access to older consumers and knowledge of their needs are both important to be competitive in the business arena. And the same features that attract older consumers are appreciated by people of other ages, too. That's why elder friendly business practices benefit everyone.

That's also why the Elder Friendly® Business Certification Program — founded by Elders in Action, a private nonprofit in Portland, Oregon — is setting a national standard for how businesses can best serve older customers. Using specific guidelines, volunteer evaluators "shop" a business anonymously. These evaluators review the effectiveness of telephone and customer service, building layout and access.

Businesses that meet the evaluation criteria are certified as Elder Friendly and are eligible to display a decal and be featured in an Elder Friendly directory. This is a clear sign to older adults and their families that these businesses value their patronage and have made an effort to meet their special needs.

In partnership with Senator Thomas Libous, Action for Older Persons, Inc. (AOP) is proud to be the most recent of 14 organizations in ten states to implement this program. The goal is to make sure that when older adults do business with retailers across Broome, Chenango and Tioga Counties, they feel both welcome and appreciated. By being certified Elder Friendly, a business shows it is committed to providing quality services to elders.

So whether you're an older adult who appreciates helpful customer service or you're caring for someone who could benefit from special accommodations, you'll want to check out the local businesses that proudly display the Elder Friendly logo. If you're a local business owner looking for ways to build your business among the fastest growing segment of our population — people age 50+ — you'll want to consider investing in the Elder Friendly certification process.- Call AOP at 722-1251 or visit our Elder Friendly webpage at www.ActionforOlderPersons.org.