GUEST COLUMN
BY GIOVANNA BONIFACE
Helping Hand How advisors can make aging clients feel at home
ILLUSTRATION: ISTOCKPHOTO
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eople are living longer, and most can expect to live into their 60s and beyond, a first in our global history. With a growth rate of 68%, by 2037 there will be 10.5 million seniors in Canada. Of the older adult demographic, the age group 75+ is growing at the fastest pace. This matters, as more advisors need to learn about how best to work with older age groups. With aging comes gradual changes and decreases in a person’s physical and mental capacity. The aging path looks different for everyone. Some older adults are in excellent health and manage their daily functioning on their own, while others become frail and need supports for day-to-day living. Aging is also associated with life transitions, including retirement from employment, moving to a new home, the death of friends, and loss of life partners. It is important to reflect on how your approach can consider changes that come with older age and contribute positively to the health and well-being of older clients.
COMMON CONDITIONS Hearing loss Did you know that more than half of Canadians aged 40 to 79 experience at least mild hearing loss? (Statistics Canada, 2019).
That increases to 93% in those aged 70 and older. Here are some tips to adopt in your practice for those who may have hearing loss. • Ensure you are sitting facing the individual so they can see/read your lips; • Speak clearly, at a natural pace; • Reduce background noise (turn off music, TV) or sit somewhere quiet; • Sit closer so the person can hear you and see your facial expressions; • Consider raising the volume of your voice, but don’t shout; and • Instead of repeating yourself, rephrase the sentence. Vision loss More than two million Canadians live with a seeing disability. Here are some tips to adopt in your practice for clients in this situation. • Identify yourself, especially when entering a room; • Use large print; • Avoid using stylized or graphical fonts; • Choose easy-to-read fonts (e.g., Helvetica, Verdana, or Arial); • Add alternative text (alt-text) to graphics in documents; and • Use specific, concrete words for directions. For example, say “right or left” instead of saying “over there.”
Reduced mobility A limitation in mobility is the third most common cause of disability, affecting almost two million Canadians who live in the community. Of these individuals, more than half use canes, walking sticks, or crutches, with the rest using walkers. As maintaining independent mobility is a common goal for adults as they age, ensuring your office space can accommodate those with walking aids is very important. How can your practice help these affected clients? • Ensure wide doorways and hallways. • Provide adequate seating (e.g., lobby areas). This helps people with reduced mobility who may need to rest. • Provide handholds. Climbing stairs is easier if handrails are present to provide balance and strength. • Provide an alternative to stairs (e.g., elevator access or ramps).
DESIGNING AN INCLUSIVE OFFICE SPACE Updating an office space with universal design principles in mind will provide equal access and usability conditions. Regardless of the client’s age, size, and ability, this is good design. What can you do to create an inclusive space? ✔ Select chairs that are adjustable, supportive, and comfortable. ✔ Consider desks and tables that have adjustable heights and fit multiple needs. ✔ Keep it minimal! Create open spaces. ✔ Use natural lighting when possible, and minimize fluorescent lights. ✔ Control noise — select flooring and ceiling tiles that absorb sound. ✔ Choose door handles that are levers instead of knobs. ✔ Use flat panel light switches. ✔ Select easy-to-read large print labels.
GIOVANNA BONIFACE, Reg. OT (BC), MRSc., B.Sc.OT, CCLCP, has been a licensed occupational therapist in British Columbia for more than 24 years. She is the current president of the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists and the vice-president of corporate affairs of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada. Giovanna can be reached at bonifacegiovanna@gmail.com. SEPTEMBER 2021 FORUM 33
