Editorial

From the desk of the editor

Welcome to the first homepage edition of i2P for 2012.
In many ways it has been a slow start to the New Year because of having to deal with the “leftovers” from 2011.
One of those items for i2P was that a third-party provider to the site did not advise of a code change to the security section in our subscribe panel, creating a range of frustrated subscribers not able to get on board.
We apologise to all those potential subscribers who were unable to register with us in the second half of 2011, but if you try once more you should have no problem.

read more
open full screen

Columns

Recent Comments

Click here to read...

Past Editions

Volume 1 Number 1
Volume 1 Number 2
Volume 1 Number 3
Volume 1 Number 4
Volume 1 Number 5
Volume 1 Number 6
Volume 1 Number 7
Volume 2 Number 1
Volume 2 Number 2
Volume 2 Number 3
Volume 2 Number 4
Volume 2 Number 5
Volume 2 Number 6
Volume 2 Number 7
Volume 2 Number 8
Volume 2 Number 9
Volume 2 Number 10
Volume 2 Number 11
Volume 3 Number 1
Volume 3 Number 2
Volume 3 Number 3
Volume 3 Number 4
Volume 3 Number 5
Volume 3 Number 6
Volume 3 Number 7
Volume 3 Number 8
Volume 3 Number 9
Volume 3 Number 10
Volume 3 Number 11
Volume 2012 Number 1

i2P Archives

Health Politics

EPublications

Click here for a list of epublications

Pharmacy Through Senior Eyes

• Printer-friendly version
• Send to friend
• PDF version
• Share

	Neil Johnston articles by this author...
Introducing current ideas, perspectives and issues, to the profession of pharmacy

Retailing is fine tuning its approach to the servicing of an ageing population.
And why wouldn’t it – seniors are rapidly becoming a significant demographic and will continue to rise in numbers over the next 30 years.
In case you haven’t heard, the “Baby-Boomers” are set to officially retire from 2010 onwards – and as a group they have a significant financial clout.
Given their growing physical limitations and their focus on health-related products, there will be dramatic shifts in what they buy and where they shop.
Current store layouts present challenges for elderly shoppers in that worsening eyesight makes finding items more frustrating, arthritis complicates browsing and reduced balance intensifies the strain of stooping or reaching for products.

open this article full screen

Colours and store lighting will need to be friendly to elderly eyes.

Larger typefaces on packaging and shelf labels will need to be reviewed.

Walgreen, a major chain pharmacy group in the US is already planning some senior-friendly changes that will appear in the coming months as part of a broader revamping that costs about $30,000 to $50,000 a store. The cost includes specific changes, such as redesigning its store fliers.

Over the next year, Walgreen plans to install call buttons near heavy merchandise (like bottled water and laundry detergent) in some stores.
It also will put magnifying glasses on store shelves and make its aisle signs clearer.

Seniors are well aware of their deficiencies and feel embarrassed and frustrated if their impediments get the best of them in a particular shopping environment.
Retailers that provide a zone of comfort for seniors will obviously be better patronised.

And the services provided will be valued over the price discounting of products, so many Australian supermarket pharmacies will need to review their current approach.

In the US, Kimberley-Clark (maker of Depend undergarments, Kleenex tissues and Viva paper towels) has led the way in identifying the problems of seniors engaging current retail offerings.

When stores are too hard to shop, senior citizens buy less, say executives from Kimberly-Clark.
Since embracing the concept of “senior shopping” Kimberley-Clark has discovered that senior-friendly store additives make it easier for all people to shop.

They have developed a program to allow store managers to simulate senior experiences in their own stores ranging from special gloves that simulate arthritis and the loss of manual dexterity, cardboard glasses to simulate vision impairments created by glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration and yellowing of the eye lens.

During the program, store managers were challenged to read their own store fliers wearing glasses simulating glaucoma, macular degeneration and cataracts.
Most simply could not read the text because it was not large enough.

When they were challenged with yellow tinted glasses, many brands advertised in their own fliers simply disappeared, because of the bright yellow background used in the advertisements.

Program findings led Kimberly-Clark product developers to realise that many older shoppers couldn't distinguish between green and blue Kleenex wrapping. Kimberly-Clark now uses text and images as well to distinguish between tissue versions.

The ageing process is one where progressive physical limitations develop and shopping focus is consistently drawn to health-related products.
There will be dramatic shifts in what seniors will buy and where they will shop.

Accordingly, private-label products are appearing with larger typefaces and also larger shelf labels.
Lighting systems are also being reviewed.

And it's not only retail environments looking to change.

Some financial service providers are looking to ensure office lighting is senior friendly and that client reports are printed in appropriate colours (seniors being significant investors).
Senior designated car parking spaces are also beginning to appear in more convenient locations relative to the store), plus smaller and more manageable shopping carts increasing this aspect of service and convenience for the elderly.

All these developments have positive implications for pharmacy.

If you become a “senior-friendly” pharmacy you will concentrate a demographic that will account for a considerable level of opportunity to market healthcare and associated products.

The early adopter pharmacies will gain a lead-time advantage over the rest of the field, and it presents a significant opportunity to sell service without having to go “rock bottom” with price.

But don’t just leave it there.

Senior friendly service has to be developed back into the home to provide the ultimate in service.

While seniors need shopping experiences to stimulate and maintain their everyday cognitive functions, there will be times when a store visit just simply cannot be undertaken for health reasons.

On these occasions, a well coordinated “Pharmacy in the Home” program will fill the gap that will be welcomed by seniors, and other age groups as well.
Some years ago when after hours pharmacies became a phenomenon (there were legislated hours for business opening times back then), it was found that many new patrons of these pharmacies had not utilised the after hours service at the point of changing from their original pharmacy.

When queried why they had changed from their original pharmacy the response was:

“Just in case I may need the service. I want to have a relationship and my records in place for that eventuality”.

The “Baby Boomer” phenomenon may just present a similar opportunity for a well promoted senior-friendly pharmacy service that extends back into the home.

Many seniors would be influenced to change to your environment if it was appropriately offered, even if it would be some time before they took up the service offer.
It gives a whole new meaning to pharmacy brand switching.

Clinical Newsfeed

Click here to read more...

Research Reports

Practice Development

Information Technology

Indigenous Health

Preventive Medicine

i2P Alliance Partners