Program sells older workers
Sean Thornton, general manager of Borders Books Music and Café in Coeur d’Alene, wouldn’t replace the two 50-something women stocking the store shelves with anyone, not even younger workers with more energy.
“They’re the best,” he said. “I like their philosophy, work ethic. They don’t mind working hard and they don’t look for excuses.”
That’s precisely the positive message about seniors that Bob Salsbury is trying to spread with 3,000 fliers he’s distributing to businesses throughout Idaho’s five northern counties. Salsbury is the coordinator of North Idaho Linkages Caring for Older Adults, a program trying to redefine senior living in the Panhandle with the help of a $150,000 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
“The growing senior population means new opportunities,” Salsbury said. “Are businesses reaching them? This is a way of finding out how aware of seniors the business community is.”
The flier features three pictures of smiling, vital seniors and informs businesses that the population older than 60 has grown 43 percent in North Idaho since the 2000 census while the rest of the population has grown 28.4 percent. Nationwide, the number of people older than 65 is projected to grow 147 percent by 2050 while the rest of the population grows 49 percent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
“If businesses are aware of the older generation, they can cater to them, welcome their business,” said C.J. Rose, who helps Salsbury coordinate Linkages.
The state Department of Labor gave Salsbury and Rose a list of the largest employers in each of the five northern counties. They range from Kootenai Medical Center and the Coeur d’Alene Casino in Kootenai County to Dave Smith Motors in Shoshone County and the Boundary School District in Boundary County.
Chambers of commerce in each county seat are distributing the fliers to their members. While one side of the flier educates businesses, the other side seeks information. The answers will help Salsbury pinpoint the North Idaho business perception of seniors and create an appropriate improvement plan, he said.
Business owners are asked to rank the importance of the senior age group to their businesses, safety of their locations for older shoppers, and their knowledge of senior needs and interests, as well as interest in older customers and retirees as employees.
About 10 businesses already have returned fliers to Linkages. All rank their general interest in seniors high, but most returned surveys came from businesses in the care industry. The few from elsewhere ranked moderate their interest in hiring seniors as employees.
Jonathan Coe, Coeur d’Alene Chamber of Commerce executive director, said seniors should have little trouble finding work in Coeur d’Alene right now.
“I’m hearing employers are struggling to find employees,” he said. “That would bode well and place a special value on seniors.”
Coe said he hasn’t heard business owners discussing the senior population but has heard scattered appreciation for retirees moving to the area and bringing in new resources.
Thornton, the Borders manager, said his company realized long ago that it has a large number of senior customers, and shoppers are more comfortable with sales personnel similar to them. His store employs 30 workers and nine of those are older than 50, he said.
“It’s a mistake not to hire senior workers,” Thornton said. “They’re good hires.”
To participate in the business survey, call 769-1567, ext. 371 or send e-mail to rosec@idhw.state.id.us.