New Product Idea - Fashionable

New Product Idea - Fashionable Walker for Seniors

Product: A fashionable walker for older men and women that does not look like the metal one normally used in healthcare facilities. Purpose: To get away from the stigma attached to using a walker.

Determinant -- Age: Although this walker could and would be used by younger individuals, it would predominantly be marketed to older men and women who have difficulty walking on their own. It is a well-known fact that the U.S. population is becoming older. During the 20th century, the number of persons under age 65 tripled. Simultaneously, those aged 65 or over has jumped ll times. As a result, the elderly comprised only 1 in every 25 Americans in 1900 but 1 in 8 in 1994. According to the Census Bureau, the elderly population will more than double between now and 2050 to 80 million. As many as 1 in 5 Americans could be elderly. Most of this growth should occur between 2010 and 2030, when babyboomers enter their elderly years.

The number of elderly will grow rapidly, mostly those aged 85 and over, to 19 million in 2050. Between 1960 and 1994, their numbers rose 274%. In contrast, the elderly population in general rose 100%, and the entire U.S. population grew only 45%. By an average of 2.8% annually.

According to Wolfe (2003), there are a number of different ways to compare the behaviors and reactions of older vs. younger consumers:

Younger minds are more responsive to emotionally neutral, objectively framed propositions.

Older individuals are increasingly responsive to emotional cues. They are less responsive to information that is emotionally neutral.

Older individuals are more adept at getting to deeper meanings.

Younger minds are more literal, and generally respond better to a language style that is direct and detailed.

Older people are repelled by absolutism.

Young often appear to project autonomy in their strident expressions, but in reality they demonstrate considerable dependence on guidance.

Older people generally depend less on others for guidance.

Older minds are generally more responsive to indirect approaches until such time that trust has been fully gained, at which time, they may actually welcome directness even more than a younger person might.

2) Determinant -- Gender: This walker, although different styles for men and women, would most likely be used more by women: First, because women live longer than men and thus have a greater need for them. Second, because women are more self-conscious about the way a typical walker looks than a man. Third, because women suffer more from osteoporosis and have a greater need for walking assistance.

According to the Census Bureau, men generally have higher death rates than women at every age. As a result, elderly women outnumbered elderly men in 1994 by a ratio of 3 to 2 -- 20 million to 14 million. This difference grew with advancing age. At ages 65 to 69, it was only 6 to 5. However, at age 85 and over, it reached 5 to 2. As more men live to older ages over the next 50 years, these differences may narrow somewhat.

3) Determinant -- Need for Assistance: As people age, there is a greater chance they will need assistance with walking. This is because of illness or recuperation from an operation or a fall, arthritis, frailty with age, or instability. A study by Gooberman-Hill and Ebrahim (2007) concerning the elderly making decisions about the use of walking aids showed that walking difficulty is common old age. However, older people's views on walking aids are likely to affect their uptake. The authors therefore explored older people's views on using these aids. Participants were 69-90 years old at the first interview, 15 were followed up a year later, and 12 were followed up again a year after that. As time passed, participants' initial misgivings about the use of aids subsided, and walking aids were described as improving confidence and facilitating activity and participation. Decisions to start using these aids were influenced by both gradual and sudden changes in ability and by culturally informed views about ageing. Views on ageing initially acted as barriers to the use of aids but then acted as facilitators to use.

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