You deserve to feel heard, not handled

Have you ever walked away from a meeting thinking, “They were polite… but I don’t feel heard”?

That moment is more than uncomfortable. It’s often the start of confusion, second-guessing, rationalization, and decisions that don’t sit right later.

And here is something worth noticing right away.
The professional Certified Professional Consultant on Aging (CPCA) or Age-Friendly Business® that shared this with you has completed specialized training. They chose to learn more about the age 50+ and how to serve you with more care, insight, understanding, and respect.

As we move through the age 50+ years, life can add more moving parts:

• changing health or energy
• grief, caregiving, or both
• big transitions like retirement, a move, or downsizing
• adult children becoming involved in decisions
• more exposure to fraud, impersonation, and high-pressure tactics
• more paperwork and more “fine print”

When that’s your reality, you don’t need speed for speed’s sake.
You need clarity. You need time. You need options.
You need to feel that you still have agency over the decisions being made.

Agency is a simple idea with a big impact. It means you stay in the driver’s seat. You are not pushed, rushed, brushed off, or spoken over. You are treated as the decision-maker, even when you want input from family or support from a professional.

This matters personally, and it also matters economically. The age 50+ population already accounts for more than half of discretionary spending, projected to rise to nearly 60 percent by 2050. That spending includes categories where trust and understanding matter a lot, like professional services, healthcare and home care, legal, accounting, and financial services.

We also live longer than any generation before us. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has pointed out that life expectancy in most OECD countries increased by roughly 25 to 30 years over the last century. That longevity bonus has fuelled what many researchers and economists call the longevity economy.

So what should you do with this information as a client or customer?

Use it as a filter.

Choose a professional or business that has made a real commitment to learn more about YOU. Your needs. Your concerns. Your priorities. Your right to be treated with respect.

That investment shows up in the small moments:

• you are not rushed
• your questions are welcomed
• the pace matches the decision
• the language is clear
• your preferences are treated as valid
• your voice stays central, even when family is present

And there’s another benefit that is easy to overlook.

Specialized training helps reduce preventable harm.

We are living in a time when ageism still shows up in healthcare, services, commercial operations, and daily interactions. Canada’s consultations on ageism describe how being ignored or excluded can make older adults feel disrespected or unwelcome. The World Health Organization describes ageism as stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination based on age, with real impacts on people’s lives.

If you’ve ever felt invisible, talked down to, or pressured, you already know why this matters.

Pass it on

Maya Angelou reminded us that “people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

You know when your client or customer experience is great. Take a moment to think about what made it right. The patterns. The behaviours. The attitude. And most of all, how it made you feel.

Then tell the professional or business serving you. Be specific. Tell them what they did that helped you feel respected, clear, and in control. That feedback matters more than most people realise.

Then tell others.
Your friends. Your family. Your neighbours.

Together we can raise the quality of service throughout our communities.

Warm wishes,
Rhonda Latreille, MBA, CPCA
Founder & CEO
Age-Friendly Business®

p.s. Since 2003, Age-Friendly Business® has trained thousands of professionals and businesses committed to learning how to raise the quality of the client, customer, and community experience. They are called Certified Professional Consultants on Aging (CPCAs)® and Age-Friendly Businesses®. They have earned the right to ask for your business.

Body – Clarity & Control

Stress drops when you have clarity and control

When people feel rushed or confused, stress rises. Stress affects sleep, mood, memory, digestion, and decision-making. It can also make it harder to ask questions or speak up.

On the flip side, when you feel respected and you understand your options, your nervous system settles. You’re more likely to:

• ask the extra question
• take a pause before committing
• involve the right person at the right time
• avoid decisions made under pressure

That is healthier for your body and healthier for your relationships. It can also reduce family conflict because everyone has a clearer shared understanding of what is happening and why.

Spirit

“Respect for ourselves guides our morals, respect for others guides our manners.”
Laurence Sterne