BUSINESSES DON’T GET IT
Posted: May 17, 2015 Filed under: AGING, ESSAYS, geezerEats | Tags: age, aging, elder, elderly, geriatric, lifespan, old age, old people, retirement, senior, senior citizen Leave a comment »Ok, so I am old, so my hearing and my eyesight is not what it once was. Yet every day, someone wants to sell me something, but they don’t know who I am. Businesses approach things from their point of view; even when trying to sell something to me. You would think that they would focus on me; not only their targeted customer, but for at least another 20 years, their customer who has the most money. In 20 years, old people will be broke; today many of us have money. Businesses catering to the old should realize this.
My wife bought a device for her mother that allows her mother to locate lost things; purse, glasses, keys, etc. It is a great idea; but, the only instructions are on the side of a 2 x 2 inch box in type so small that you can’t even read it with a magnifying glass. And, if your purse is lost, which it frequently is with old people; the device to locate the purse is usually in the purse. Go figure!
What is even worse; from an old person’s point-of-view, is that they have to ask someone for help thus admitting to old age.
Are there any geriatric tech writers? Look at the instructions that come with something you have bought. Were those instructions written with you in mind?
Don’t forget businesses that have receptionists who have such a low voice that you can’t hear them; or, more common, those that rattle off the information so fast, that you don’t get it.
How would you explain to your mirror how to put something together; or, how to operate something so that you could understand it? Even harder than explaining it to a mirror, is explaining it to a business. I especially like the low voice-tone and talking speed in audiologists’ offices. You would think an audiologist would realize that the only reason that you were there was because you were deaf. But they don’t seem to realize that when talking to you.
Restaurants forget, that while noise may increase turnover and profits, noisy places do not attract old people. Twice this week we have decided against restaurants because of their noise level. And, 50 % of restaurants fail in the first year and 75% in the first five years. Meanwhile, the number of old people is increasing. Restaurants that play music play it for the young help; they forget that two-thirds of their customers are over 65 and like to talk to each other, not listen to some loud off-putting music.
I could go on, and probably will, about services and products for old people being developed by people who are not old and who don’t understand old people.
FRANK’S in Tucson
Posted: February 28, 2014 Filed under: geezerEats, geezerTrips Leave a comment »Frank’s may be out of your comfort zone, but that will change, once you eat there. From the stools at the counter to the breakfast specials, it could be any small town in the mid-west or SouthWest. $1.75 for two eggs, hash browns and toast any week-day morning; and all the coffee you can drink for $1.85. The only place I have been where the coffee is more than the breakfast, but still reasonable, so leave a nice tip.
It is clean, but old and friendly, just like me. Don’t miss it. You can always go to the chains. Look at the photos on the web site and you will see what I mean. And, check out the menu.
Franks Restaurant
3843 E. Pima St
Tucson, AZ 85716
GEEZER’S “REAL AGE”
Posted: February 5, 2014 Filed under: geezerEats, geezerHealth, Uncategorized | Tags: age, liviing, real age Leave a comment »I am 73. I track my “real age” on realage.com, which has now become sharecare.com. The factors considered are the same ones that my doctor looks at. Even if there are questions, I do not see how you can go wrong by not smoking, losing weight, and doing things in moderation. I am not interested in living longer; but am interested in living better. I want to minimize today’s pains and problems.
Today at 73, I went onto sharecare.com and based on my answers to the questionnaire have a real age of 66.2 years.
While I feel good about this, what is more important is that on sharecare.com I can change my answers to determine if there is a benefit to making life style changes. My actual weight is 207, which resulted in a “real age” of 66.2 years. I changed the weight to 180 pounds, and came up with a “real age” of 65.7. The difference may be small but I will feel better. And, my doctor told me yesterday that I needed to lose a “few” pounds.
You can change the input and see what you need to do for a better “real age.” Try it with eating habits, smoking, drinking, etc.
I may try to update this each month which may give me incentive to go from 207 to 180.