Creating Senior Friendly Companies

So, just in the past few months, I've dealt with several large companies, none of which were particularly senior friendly, and one, Marketplace IGA, which has a nice, but limited, example of how to be so.

It came up again the other day with the Vancouver Province. A client of mine received an invoice from the Province for a one month bill. It said there was a start date of July 24 and a stop date of July 22 (yes, I know, but that is what it said), and then there was a bill for over $12.00, or about four dollars a day for no days. When I called to find out what this was about, they told me her subscription had been cancelled, because the bill hadn't been paid. The bill wasn't paid, because it was being charged to her credit card, and for some reason, the credit card stopped paying the bills by direct debit from her account. How any of THAT happened is kind of beyond me, but the result was her paper was cancelled. They couldn't really explain why they sent her this relatively meaningless, but definitely confusing notice. She is too confused to know why the paper was cancelled (apparently I am too), and too confused to know what to do about it (at least, I thought to myself, that part I can still handle). She definitely would not have had a clue about how to handle the notice they sent.

We couldn't start the paper again, because she was unable to sign a cheque, and her power of attorney has not been finished being set up because she left it almost to the point where she was not competent to make it.

Too bad the Province couldn't somehow have been more senior friendly and senior aware of their customers, maybe this little problem would have been handled differently and more easily (and more profitably for the Province).

It reminded me of the problems my clients have recently had with Telus, which I blogged about, and recently with Shaw ( a client being charged for a some kind of box and for channels which she never knew she had, didn't know how to use, and wouldn't have watched anyway).

How much would it take for large companies to have policies and practices in place for ethical dealing with Seniors.? How much would it take to put into practice what they would have us believe about being responsible corporate/community citizens ( I assume Shaw, and Pacific Press would state that is important, Telus puts it on it's website).

What would it take? Some awareness of the issues and problems that face seniors. A way of identifying who might possibly fit a profile or need some special attention. A method for asking people if they would like to be taken care of in this way? Unfortunately, a willingness to forgo some profit (no more $300.00 phones, Telus--sorry).

Shopping By Phone via Marketplace IGA

I was visiting a client in her home the other day, a Wednesday it was, when the phone rang. It was Marketplace IGA, asking her if she wanted to place an order this week.She's a little forgetful, so she might not have remembered to call at the time they need to call in. this little service, and the reminder, helps keep her at home--it is a contact, it helps with nutrition, and it is inexpensive. Delivery is free, within a certain range, and then no more than ten dollars off, up to their limit area.

It's so easy for a company to be senior friendly.

Be Aware--Private Care and Housing

In British Columbia ,the field of assisted living and independent living is pretty unregulated. They have to meet standards of buildings and health department, but in terms of services and contracts, it is a wide open field. At this point, it is not even clear if facilities are under the guidance and jurisdiction of the Rental Controls. Assuming they are not, if you are asked to leave, you have no recourse legally. That means that the consumer is at risk, and must carry the burden of protecting him or herself.

One thing to be especially aware of is, under what circumstances, can someone be evicted? Ask them to be specific when you are talking with a facility. Ask for examples of when they have evicted people. Ask them about how they tried to work around problems tht they encountred with people. Ask them what kind of conditions, physical and emotional are they not prepared to deal with, and how they will decide when the point is reached that they can no longer cope.

You have to ask these questions so you can plan your future, or the future of someone you care about.

Remember too, that, most likely, the first person you are meeting when you deal with a care or housing facility is a Marketing Manager. That means just what it says--their job is to sell. What they tell you, and what actually occurs, may be different. Before you make any plans, if you have questions, make sure you talk to the Care Director, or whoever actually makes the decisions about who the facility will admit or evict.

Congratulations to Courtyard Gardens in Richmond

Congrats to Courtyard Gardens, in Richmond, BC, and their Director of Care, Joann for having the guts to listen and assess someone based on what they see, and not buzzwords and bad reports from another (unnamed) facility.

The chances of their having difficulty with this lady were almost nil, and Joann was able to hear the difference between a drinking problem and a memory problem. No other assisted living facility, public or private, that I contacted, could somehow think about it.