Is Your Festival, Event or Business Handicapped and Stroller Accessible?

People are living longer and are more active than in past generations. Septarians and octogenarians like to go places and have fun. So do people in their 90s.

But many use walkers or canes. They may walk slowly, but still manage to get around.

You can swing by your local vocational rehabilitation or municipal planning department and pick up handicapped accessible guidelines. The height of the threshold, weight of doors, width of bathroom stall, position of water faucets are critical factors. Do you offer a shuttle where people can roll their walker up onto it? Sometimes older folks just can't make a high step - and you've probably already billed your shuttle service as a handicapped accessible option. Nope. It won't work.

MARKETING TIP: People with walkers and strollers face some of the same obstacles in getting around. They'll like you better and spend more money if you develop a handicapped-user mindset.