Frequently Asked Questions for Businesses

• What types of businesses are Elder Friendly^® Business Certified?
  
• What types of things are being evaluated?
  
• How long does it take to become certified?
  
• Who are the evaluators?
  
• How was the evaluation tool developed?
  
• How much does it cost to be Elder Friendly^® Business Certified?
  
• What do I receive with the certification fee?
  
• How will customers know my business is Elder Friendly^® Business Certified?
  
• Do I need to achieve a certain score to pass?
  
• What if there are areas I need to improve?
  
• Do you check on complaints filed on the business?
  
• Do you make referrals to Elder Friendly businesses?
  
• Can I use the Elder Friendly^® Certified Business logo on my website?
  
• How long is the certification good for?
  
• Do you endorse the products of the businesses you certify?
  
• What kind of ongoing training can Elders in Action provide to my employees?
  
• Can my employees utilize the services of Elders in Action?
  
• What other ways can we become involved with Elders in Action?
  
• What if some of my sites are not in the Portland Metro area?

Any business that engages with older adults or is interested in serving this market is a match for our program. This includes banks, grocery stores, law offices, healthcare providers, event centers, senior care providers and auto services. Every business has the opportunity to benefit from the evaluation. Seeing your business through the eyes of an older adult creates awareness of many customer service opportunities.

The evaluation tool has over 70 specific criteria being reviewed. The volunteer evaluators start with an initial contact with the business: were they able to access information about the business, connect with the company, get directions. If the business has a physical location they will evaluate the entry, layout, lighting, seating options and signage. Throughout the evaluation process, they are evaluating customer service: is assistance available, are people knowledgeable and providing information clearly. The company website is also evaluated.

From the time payment is received for the evaluation to the manager meeting is 2 to 3 months depending on the availability of the evaluators.

All the evaluators are Elders in Action volunteers over 55. Each volunteer must complete an application, go through a full interview to identify the best volunteer position for them, and pass a criminal background check. The Elder Friendly^® business evaluators are trained and attend quarterly meetings.

The tool was developed in 1993 by older adults through focus groups and a gerontology specialist who identified the needs of the older consumer. The tool has evolved over time to include website evaluation and has been updated to reflect changes in technology.

The initial cost is $300 for businesses with less than 50 employees, $500 for businesses with more than 50 employees and $100 for each additional location. The annual renewal fees are $200 for businesses with less than 50 employees, $400 for businesses with more than 50 employees and $100 for each additional location.

You will be provided with a summary report that will include an overview of the evaluations, recommendations and certification status presented by an Elders in Action staff person and a volunteer evaluator. You will also be provided with tips on interacting with older adults.

Upon certification you will receive the Elder Friendly^® Business decals to display at your business. Elders in Action will also provide you with links to decals that you will be able to use on your website and in printed material. Your business will be listed in our printed directory that is distributed throughout the Portland area as well as on our website in the online directory.

Yes, the evaluation has a scoring system and each business must be at least 3.5 (out of 5) in all applicable categories. The goal of the program is to educate businesses on how to become more Elder Friendly^® so we work with companies to be successful. We recognize that some companies can not make changes due to corporate policies or national/regional standards. This is balanced against the overall score in the areas in which the business has control over.

Every evaluation is confidential. Once the evaluation is complete, a staff member and volunteer evaluator will go through your evaluation and provide positive recommendations. Many are low or no cost recommendations. If you do not pass the staff at Elders in Action will provide you recommendation and give you a 3 month period to incorporate the recommendations to meet the standards. At the end of that time you will be re-evaluated at no additional cost. Our goal is for the business to find benefit from the evaluation and are able to significantly improve their customer service to the benefit of their business.

As part of the evaluation process the volunteers check with agencies such as the Better Business Bureau or the Construction Contractors Board.

Yes, Elders in Action receives thousands of calls a year for information. When it is appropriate our staff refers older adults to the Elder Friendly^® Certified businesses knowing that these are organizations interested in providing the best service to older adults.

Yes, we encourage you to proudly display that you are Elder Friendly and have gone through the process to find out how you can best serve older adults in our community. You may also want to display the logo at events you attend, at your business and in your print material.

The certification is valid for one year. Ten months from your original certification date we will send you a renewal notice for the upcoming year. Once you send in your renewal fee, your company information will be updated in our directory and we will have an evaluator visit your site to assure that you continue to meet the needs of the older adults.

No, Elders in Action strongly encourages consumers to make informed decisions when making a purchase. Elders in Action evaluates only the access and customer service of a business from an older adult perspective. We do not endorse or guarantee the services or products available from the businesses certified by our program.

We can provide a number of trainings that would be valuable to your staff. These programs provide information on how best to communicate with older adults, how visual and hearing impairments affect their customer experience and ways to provide a comfortable environment for your older customers.

Yes, our Personal Advocate program is a great way to get information for older adults. For many people caring for older adults this is a great way to find out what services are available and significantly reduce their time spent on tackling these challenging issues. We also have a Speakers Bureau that links trained volunteer speakers to community organizations educating them on timely topics that affect older adults and the various programs of Elders in Action.

We have many volunteer opportunities that include being a Personal Advocate, our Encore Action Team: a group that focuses on service learning projects and many additional opportunities. Our volunteers are all ages and come from a variety of backgrounds. Our goal is to provide meaningful volunteer opportunities for everyone involved. We also have a number of sponsorship opportunities available including educational programs, Community outreach and awareness and special events.

Currently we only certify businesses in the 4 county area. The Elder Friendly^® Business Certification program is offered in Clackamas, Multnomah, Washington County Oregon and Clark County Washington, as well as available to other non-profits through a licensing program. If an organization is interested in finding out more about the program they can contact us at info@eldersinaction.org