Laois business called on to appoint age friendly Champions

Laois Chamber wants the owners of local businesses to appoint a member of staff to be their firms champion for age friendliness and older customers.

The call as part of a new campaign involving Age Friendly Laois and Laois Chamber who are collaborating to encourage businesses throughout Laois to take part in the Age Friendly Business Recognition Programme.

Laois Chamber says participating businesses can be identified by the ‘We aim to be Age Friendly’ window stickers, with a listing as an Age Friendly provider on the national Age Friendly website, having the Age Friendly Charter displayed in your business, and the Age Friendly logo displayed in your premises, online and on your print materials.

For the past few years, businesses all over Ireland have obtained their Age Friendly Charters as part of the Age Friendly Ireland Programme and have proudly displayed their Age Friendly status on their shop window or in their reception area. They know that by doing this, they signal strongly that our older community is welcome, resulting in loyalty and increased custom.

Speaking about the scheme, newly appointed Age Friendly Programme Manager with Laois County Council, Tom Curran, said:

“For me, the Age Friendly Programme plans for the older members of society and for the future you. By factoring our older person into our business thinking, we acknowledge both their past and future status as valued customers”. 

Participating businesses in the scheme have made changes such as having clearer signage and providing reading glasses of various strengths to become more age friendly.

Laois Chamber says that nationally, Age Friendly Business Recognition is a growing brand, supported by Chambers Ireland and the Age Friendly Programme. This recognition allows customers to identify your business as Age Friendly, and publicises your business to older customers. The Laois Chamber CEO is Caroline Hofman.

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“This is a really important scheme that Laois Chamber is fully supportive of. It is so important to provide age friendly resources and training, and recognise businesses that go the extra mile to make their business more accessible and attractive to the older community," she said.

"The Age Friendly Business Recognition Scheme has been successful in many other parts of the country, and we would love to replicate this throughout county Laois. Age Friendly Laois in collaboration with Laois Chamber are looking to hear from any interested businesses who would like to take part and receive Age Friendly recognition.

"As the first steps of the scheme, we are asking businesses to identify one or more members of staff to act as a champion for age friendliness and older customers, and these staff members will then take part in the Age Friendly Business Workshop. Following this, the business will make three changes to their business, making them more age friendly and accessible for their older customers,” said Ms Hoffman.

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If your business is interested in taking part in the workshops and being recognised as an Age Friendly Business, visit www.agefriendlylaois.ie or contact Laois Chamber at info@laoischamber.ie .