Age Friendly Businesses

In 2017,  Lakeland received the designation of Age Friendly. This designation is administered through AARP in the United States and is a program of the World Health Organization. The Lakeland Chamber of Commerce has partnered with Age Friendly Lakeland to recognize businesses that support older adults as they build their locations and train staff.

Why Age Friendly Businesses?

Age Friendly Lakeland’s vision is to create a community where older adults and their families are equipped with the necessary resources to comfortably and safely age in place.
Lakeland's Age Friendly Community certification is based on eight domains of livability:

• Outdoor Spaces and Living
• Transportation
• Housing
• Social Participation
• Respect and Social Inclusion
• Civic Participation and Employment
• Communication and Information
• Community and Health Services

An “age-friendly” business considers the needs of older adults and creates a barrier-free environment that enables people of all ages and abilities to visit, shop and fully access the location’s spaces and use the offered services. 
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Age Friendly Business Application

Age Friendly Business Listings

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The Age Friendly Business Certification

Lakeland-based businesses may apply to receive an Age Friendly Business Certification coordinated through the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce and Age Friendly Lakeland, a committee of Lakeland Vision. Businesses that meet the following criteria are encouraged to apply.

Criteria 1: Physical Environment
Maintain a clean, clear and easily accessible facility with adequate lighting and low noise levels.

• Are the parking lots, stairs or other exterior walking services free from debris and trip hazards? 
• Is the public entryway easy to access with easy to open, slow close or automatic doors? 
• Is the business lighting adequate for safety and sufficient to read materials? 
• Is there loud music or a lot of background noise in the business? 
• Is the facility designed to maximize safety and accessibility with clearly marked stairs, drops, and/or change in floor elevation?
• Is there permanent or on-demand seating inside for customers to rest? 
• Are there clearly marked restrooms available for customers? 

Criteria 2: Marketing
Print and web materials are easy to read with 12 point fonts and good color contrast.

• Is the text on print materials easy to read with 12-point font and high-contract color combinations? 
• Is the Business's website easy to navigate?
• Is the Business's website responsive, adapting clearly and fully to mobile phones and tablets?
• Is the interior & exterior signage clear and easy to follow? 

Criteria 3: Staff and Personnel
Staff is easy to identify and trained to be respectful, patient and accessible.

• Are staff members easy to identify? (Do Staff IDs have photos?)
• Is staff welcoming and courteous? 
• Do staff and volunteers receive training that includes resources specifically to assist older adults?

Criteria 4: Customer Experience
Business demonstrates a friendly and engaging environment with assistance at point of sale.
Is there someone designated to greet upon entering or during your experience at the business facility?
Are staff and personnel engaged and readily available to assist?
Are products within easy reach on tables and shelves?  If not, does staff assist with access?  
DO staff adapt communication during during Point of Sale (i.e. do you offer assistance to read receipt prior to signing?)

Businesses that have completed the Age Friendly Business Self Assessment will be recognized by the Lakeland Chamber with a special icon in the business directory. The application fee is complimentary for Chamber members and $100 for non-Chamber members - applications must be recertified annually. Age Friendly Lakeland reviews each assessment and applicants may be visited by "secret shoppers" from the Age Friendly Lakeland committee.

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Age Friendly Business Tips

Age Friendly Lakeland offers the following tips to help make your business age-friendly and successful.

Physical Environment:

• Keep aisles clean – refrain from overcrowding aisles, as this creates barriers. It is recommended to keep a three foot wide route throughout your business.
• Place popular items, and products geared towards older customers, within easy reach for most.
• Provide seating in a couple of locations inside your store.
• Ensure signs are clear as to where the restroom is located.
• Place ramps in areas with changes in floor heights to minimize falls and/ or tripping

Marketing Materials:

• Use Sans Serif Fonts like Arial or Calibri. Fonts with decorative end strokes like Times New Roman can be hard to read.
• Leave space between lines of text.
• Use vivid colors. Avoid pastels and grays.
• Create a high contrast between text and background of your materials.
• Whenever possible offer lists, menus, materials in larger fonts for people who may have visual impairments.
• Positively portray older adults in photos. Refrain from using images that negatively stereotype older adults.

Customer Experience:

• Train staff to communicate more effectively with diverse populations –including those with vision and hearing impairments.
• Provide older adults with extra help as needed. Teach staff to offer a lending hand if someone has difficulty reaching an item, reading a label, or loading their vehicle
• Ensure that staff is easy to identify, either by uniform or by identification
• Discourage the use of cell phones by staff during customer interactions/ transactions.

Additional Resources

Quick links to help older adults in our community.

Senior Connection Center
1-800-96-ELDER (1-800-963-5337)
The Senior Connection Center is a service of the Area Agency on Aging serving seniors and their caregivers in Hillsborough, Polk Manatee, Highlands and Hardee Counties. Senior Connection Center is one of 11 Florida Department of Elder Affairs' Area Agencies on Aging.  Information and referrals are available in Spanish.

Elder Abuse Prevention
1-800-96-ABUSE (1-800-962-2873)
The Department of Elder Affairs works in conjunction with the Department of Children and Families Adult Protective Services and the Aging Network to protect disabled adults or elderly persons from abuse, neglect or exploitation. Report physical, emotional and/or financial abuse online or by phone.

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Sage Aging ElderCare Guide
A print and digital local guide for Senior resources including senior living, home care and services.

Alzheimer's Association
1-800-272-3900
Specialists and masters-level clinicians offer confidential support and information to people living with Alzheimer's Disease and their caregivers.

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Polk County Sheriff's Office
863-577-1672
The Seniors vs. Crime project, sponsored by the Office of the Attorney General, allows consumer-conscious seniors to be actively involved in protecting their communities and their fellow seniors from becoming victims of consumer fraud.

Volunteer “Senior Sleuths” investigate and attempt to resolve complaints they receive from seniors in the local community, and often assist the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division and local law enforcement as requested. They also help educate the public about the program as well as common scams that typically target seniors.

Please email your questions or concerns to [email protected], or call 863-577-1672 or 863-577-1673. The office is manned on Tuesdays and Thursdays only.

Age Friendly Resources