Store Décor: Designing for Seniors
Advice for considering seniors and other special-needs patients in your dispensary's design
By Erinn Morgan 

Choose equipment that can be easily adapted to patients of all abilities, such as Topcon's IS-2000 instrument stand (shown with the CV-3000 vision tester)

Do you cater to an elderly clientele or patients with special needs, such as wheelchair access? If so, you probably know there are store design concerns that are specific to your customers. But even if you do not currently have a large number of senior patients, you may want to consider your future.

"America is aging and the group that is moving into that aging sector is the baby boomer--historically our ultimate consumer," says Steve Kaufman, editor of Visual Merchandising and Store Design magazine. "They are conditioned to spend. If you want to accommodate them, you need to look at issues such as wider aisles and specially equipped bathrooms. There are practical aspects of which retailers have to be aware."

With the baby boomers moving into their golden years, retailers will soon be dealing with a major influx of patients who have specific needs.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) outlines specifics that retail establishments must comply with--such as handicapped access doorways and ramps. While this is important (see sidebar for more information), there are also more subtle details to consider. "There are huge issues with existing merchandising for optical in terms of catering to seniors," says Jan Ennis, president of Ennco Displays.

Read on for pointers for boosting accessibility to your dispensary for all of your patients.

THE BASICS

Flooring. Non-slip flooring is the first step--this will be suitable for both wheelchair-bound patients and less-agile, elderly clients.

Chairs. "You want a chair that is a little bit broader and wider in size," says Dacie Lewis, owner of Bright Displays. Both comfort and safety are considerations when making a selection. "Something with arms on it is good so that people with walkers can reach behind them and hold onto the chair while getting into it," she adds.

Tables. The dispensing table should follow the same idea. "You want a stable dispensing table," says Lewis. "The most important thing is the height, so you can get a wheelchair under it."

Adds Henry Trattler, MD, at The Center for Excellence in Eyecare, an ophthalmic practice in Miami, "We have dispensing tables that are not on top of each other. This makes it easy for patients to get around dispensing tables to see the frame selections."

Signage and lighting. Another consideration is signage with larger writing and images.

"You are going to have to improve lighting and P.O.S. information," says Kaufman. "Baby boomers' eyes are failing--they can't read what they once could. When people walk in and have difficulty reading labels or signs, you are going to lose them."

Fixtures. As wheelchairs become more prevalent on the sales floor, invest in durable fixtures.

"Flooring and fixtures will be getting a lot more wear--wheelchairs bump into cabinets and fixtures and can scratch them," says Kaufman.

Ennco's Ennis also notes that in order to truly accommodate wheelchair patients, the standard toe-kick height on cabinets and fixtures (which is usually three to four inches) should be increased.

"We are doing a clinic now that will have a lot of wheelchair patients," he says. "We had to make toe-kicks eight inches high so that wheelchairs will not bang the cabinets."

Exam rooms. "Two of our exam lanes in the office are wheelchair- dedicated," says Charles O. McCormick, III, MD, Indiana Eye Clinic in Greenwood, the recently retired president of the Indiana Academy of Ophthalmology.

"The existing exam chair is moved back on a sled and provides room for a wheelchair."

THE SUBTLE NEEDS

Design elements and frame display can make your dispensary a welcoming place to all patients.

Glass-top displays. These can make it easier to view frames selections from a wheelchair.

"To make them more accessible for patients, you should have glass showcasing on top of every cabinet," says Ennis.

Frame placement. Similarly, placing senior-oriented product lower in frame displays makes it more accessible. "When you have 55-year-old hands, they don't work as well as 25-year-old hands," says Kaufman. "There are a lot of subtle aspects to this that go beyond ADA compliance that retailers will have to start thinking about."

Adds Ennis, "A person seated in a wheelchair is limited to a reach between 48 and 60 inches. In a typical dispensing situation, that only gives them access to four of the 15 frames available."

Vintage look. Liven up the dispensary with vintage pieces. "I would put in period stuff. Go to your antique or second-hand shop," Lewis recommends. "Stick with things that are comfortable. There is definitely a comfort level to this age group."

Pedestals. Lewis also suggests utilizing sturdy pedestals in dark wood like oak and cherry. "These are not as fragile as other pedestals and will be more appealing to them than neon, gem colors, or metallics."

And most important, make sure you're familiar with the dictates of the Americans with Disabilities Act. It is, after all, the law. 

Glass display cabinets, such as these two from Ennco Displays, allow patients in wheelchairs--as well as those standing--to see all you have to offer
Lower countertops, such as this setup from Magic Designs, can make visiting a practice more comfortable for those in wheelchairs
When patients can't come to your equipment, make the equipment come to them	Wood tones are more appealing to older customers PHOTO COURTESY BRIGHT DISPLAY