There’s a conundrum about the way we expect the elderly disabled to buy products in this country.  We rely on them to haul themselves to a mobility shop – usually based off a busy three lane highway full of fast flowing traffic – and, assuming they manage to make it there, somehow expect them to know what products exist to help their disability. 

Right…….

We also expect them to pay a lot of money for mobility aids and accessories that can be old fashioned as well as over-priced.  And the tragedy is that there are products available in other countries that they might never see or hear about, some of which could address their needs better and at a much better price.

elderly woman

What’s sad is that the UK elderly have grown up in a country that has been internationally envied for invention and innovation.  However, it is not easy for manufacturers to sustain creativity in mobility whilst in a country where the biggest customer is a nationalised health service.

In other countries, like the US, product design for the elderly is consumer-driven and, of course, the market is bigger.  This provides more choice and a greater focus on style when it comes to designing products.

It is testament to this growing need that British supermarkets are starting to be attracted to the potential of the mobility market, but they can only give shelf space to products likely to sell in large quantities and which have been designed down to a price point.   There has been little development in the products needed to support carers or the cared for. 

See the problem?  The people at Mobility Compare can see it clearly and so can I.

So maybe the future of shopping for disability aids for older customers and their carers could be more variety, better designed products, sourced worldwide, purchased from and delivered to your own home? 

On this point I need to alert you to Homecare from The Consortium, a forward thinking Wiltshire-based company that has been serving care homes for nearly 40 years.  It has designed an on-line store (www.homecare-products.co.uk) that is easy to navigate and use with hundreds of reasonably priced quality products – many of which are new to this country.  All the products and accessories are grouped to help specific problems or disabilities. 

Homecare logo

Is it an idea that might catch on? Time will tell. Homecare has only just launched its service this spring.  But we wish it every success in bringing smart, affordable and innovative mobility aids and accessories to the market. It deserves it.