Page 55 - enLIGHTenment Magazine - August 2017

ALA CONFERENCE

Catering to the low-vision, senior, and aging
demographic can make your store a destination,

noted McGowan, who added that right now there
are very few lighting stores targeting this niche.

He pointed to the non-pro t The Cleveland Sight

Center in Ohio as a successful organization that,
along with o ering professional services for peo-

ple who are blind or have low-vision problems,
has developed just such an opportunity by open-

ing a store that sells products applicable to this

customer base (i.e. magnifying glasses in various Terry McGowan
shapes and sizes; large-print calendars; braille

dice, playing cards, and stylus tools; plus large-
face and talking clocks).

“The experts there will ask what you have

trouble with. Is it seeing the dials on the oven? “To experience what it might be
Reading a book? Writing a check? They have light-
like for them, put on a pair of
ing demonstration tables where they pair the bulb
or lighting product to the needs of the person —
sunglasses and walk around your
it’s a very subjective process,” he explained.

Addressing the seminar audience, McGowan house. Try doing routine visual
asked for suggestions on appropriate lighting at-

tributes that could interest the aging population. tasks such as reading, nding
Several a endees answered, “color-tunable”

portable lamps, while another suggested lamps/ objects in drawers, or examining

xtures with a higher Kelvin temperature to help the colors of clothes hanging in a
customers read with greater visual clarity, and

others o ered emphasizing the importance of closet.”
dimmers as well as xture/lamp designs with low- — Terry McGowan

glare or adjustable light distributions. McGowan

suggested retailers mark such products with tags
proclaiming “Senior-Friendly” for extra emphasis

on a marketing level that would interest people
with elderly friends and relatives.
Builders (NAHB). “Maybe lighting could become

McGowan noted Cleveland-based North Coast part of that,” he suggested.

Accessible Homes (www.adaptmyhome.com) as an “Have any of you tried to set up a relationship
example of a business that, like many, specializes with a retirement community or facility in your

in making “aging in place” a featured part of their area?” McGowan asked. Two separate audience
service. “Here’s a company that touts 30 years members indicated that they have success-

of experience in assessing, planning, and making fully collaborated with retirement/active adult

life-enhancing modi cations to existing homes. I neighborhoods.
wonder how many of such companies would ben- “Older people have unique requirements,” Mc-

e t from working with a lighting showroom?” he Gowan emphasized. “To experience what it might
mused. “What if you could o er the services of a be like for them, put on a pair of sunglasses and

lighting specialist who could go out and do a light- walk around your house,” he remarked. “Try doing

ing evaluation of the home?”
routine visual tasks such as reading, nding objects
There is also a professional accreditation called in drawers, or examining the colors of clothes hang-

a Certi ed Aging in Place Specialist – CAPS – ing in a closet. Do you feel there should be more
o ered by the National Association of Home
light or less glare? If so, proper lighting can help.”

august 2017 | enLIGHTenment Magazine 53