Just got back from shopping and so am prompted to post this Public Service Announcement for those who serve everyone but seem to forget about us "senior" consumers.
We didn't ask to get old. It just happened, as it will to you, too. Still, we seniors need to eat and shop and be out and about as we are able. If you are a manufacturer or the CEO of a big store chain, or a restaurant manager--or even just a regular shopper--here are some things I wish you'd understand.
1. If you want me to spend my money at your store, you need to have carts for me to lean on and put things in. I have a bad back that affects my legs. I can't carry things. Can't walk far. Without some sort of cart, I can't shop at your place of business.
2. I'm slow. I know it and do my dead-level best to stay out of the way of younger people who are in more of a hurry. I'll even step aside and tell people to go ahead of me because I am less rushed than they, with no ill-will. If you are behind a senior and getting impatient, just say "coming around you" and carry on. Unless you are being rude about it, I don't know of a single person who will mind.
3. With old age comes vision problems. There's a reason why many of us, myself included, no longer drive after dark. What it takes to see well is bright light and contrast. Colored writing on a shaded background doesn't cut it. If I am to be able to read the label on your product--and there are a whole bunch of us aging Baby Boomers out there--you need to fix this. Black print on a white background works best. The bigger the better.
4. With old age also comes hearing problems. Young people all joke about that, but it WILL happen to them, eventually. I don't know why, but when the ear stops hearing properly, the brain fails to be able to sort out background noise from what the sufferer wants to hear. Any little drone noise will drown that out. Your restaurant generates enough noise just by having people in it, but if there is music going on, that makes it worse. If you, as a manager of that restaurant, are running TVs that you expect people to watch and/or hear, please turn on the Closed Caption feature. I might not be able to hear the people I am dining with, but at least I'll be able to figure out what's going on with the TV.
5. I may get through the store okay, but then I have to load my car, return the cart, and figure out how I am going to get my purchases from the car to the house at home. As much as I hate being seen as a charity case, I also accept my limitations. A number of times, I've been blessed by younger folks who stop and say, "May I help you with that?" "Can I take that cart for you?" God bless you if you are one of them! I love you for that! You simply don't know how very much the little things help!
This message is brought to you by your favorite Baby Boomer. Just think about us as your grandma or grandpa--or even your parents--trying our best to live out the rest of our lives with dignity. In the light of today's societal attitudes and feelings of entitlement, I will say....
You got a problem with that???? :):)
No comments:
Post a Comment