Released on = October 8, 2006, 11:25 am

Press Release Author = Jan Andersen

Industry = Consumer Services

Press Release Summary = The 'Grey Pound' Revolt - Helping Older People to lead
fulfilling lives


Press Release Body = Clare Kirkman, author of The 'Grey Pound' Care Revolution, is
initiating a campaign for senior citizens to be taken more seriously as consumers in
general, not just in the area of care.

The majority of advertising is targeted at people under the age of 60, despite the
fact that older people contribute towards the economy and many are without mortgages
and family ties, so often have more disposable income than their younger
counterparts.

There are thousands of spirited older people, whose independence and potential to
lead fulfilling lives is ignored, not only by marketing companies, but by
organisations and institutions in general.

Clare is not proposing that Nike or Adidas suddenly ditch their trademark
footballers in favour of an older mascot, because she understands that commercially
they are trying to attract a younger consumer. However, she does believe that there
is more that can be done to appeal to the older consumer, even if they are living a
more dependent lifestyle. This is ever more apparent when older people accept care,
especially if that care provision mismanages the individual's new dependency. This
can cause the older person to become demoralised, depressed and may even reduce
their longevity. Clare believes that to ensure that older people retain the power of
their own purses for as long as possible gives them a greater sense of control, but
this does not include them being handed £5.00 per week pocket money.

Clare is currently writing a second book entitled "Progressive 21st Century Care - A
Universal Approach", which will be available to an international market next summer
(Radcliffe Publishing). Part of the aim of the book is to educate society. When
older people require care, at whatever level, it does not mean that they have no
enthusiasm for life, or for spending money. The book attempts to educate providers
of products and services of any description to ensure that they take older people
seriously as consumers.

Clare has over twenty years' experience in the care profession, but is currently
working tirelessly to heighten the public's perception of older people in general.
She would like to offer advice to any marketing departments regarding the approaches
of advertising that may attract an older consumer. In 2005, Churchill Insurance said
it was struggling to attract the older consumer, but was keen to have them as
customers. Why is it so difficult for them to acquire the custom of the older
consumer? Clare is available to answer such questions.

Clare's aim is for senior citizens to be respected and taken seriously as consumers
and to help older consumers themselves realise that employing care services should
not be the equivalent of losing their independence. Her new book, The 'Grey Pound'
Care Revolution, shows how individuals planning care options can manage this new
dependency yet still continue to lead fulfilling lives through vigilant selection of
services.

Clare said, "Irrespective of age, a consumer has rights, but it appears that these
rights are sometimes denied to the elderly the minute they enter into any form of
care arrangement. Elderly citizens cannot guarantee how many years they have left,
so understandably many of them wish to live life to the full and take risks that
they may not have had the courage to do when they were younger. So whilst I wouldn't
want to sound extreme, I do believe that if an older person wishes to purchase a
quad bike instead of a wheelchair, or experience white water rafting instead of a
day trip to the seaside, then why should they be deprived of these choices if they
are physically able to cope with them, simply because a care provider or society
thinks it is not age appropriate?"

Clare believes that once companies tap into this huge potential and realise that
even though someone lives in a nursing home they might still like to purchase a
holiday or a car, they will attract business from an affluent generation.

Clare concluded by saying, "Any company who respects the elderly consumer and forges
a serious place in their marketing for them will reap the rewards, as these
consumers will then buy from them. This doesn't mean simply adding a token old
person on the back end of a poster, but giving them a voice and a prominent position
in marketing."

For more information, please contact:

Clare Kirkman
Kirkman Handbooks
Chremma House
14 London Road
Guildford
Surrey
GU1 2AG
Email: clare@kirkmanhandbooks.com


For details on The 'Grey Pound' Care Revolution, contact:


Dr Kal Karim
Perfect Publishers Ltd
23 Maitland Avenue
Cambridge
CB4 1TA
Tel: + 44 (0) 1223 424422
Fax: + 44 (0) 1223 424414
Email: kal@perfectpublishers.co.uk
http://www.perfectpublishers.co.uk








Web Site = http://www.creativecopywriter.org

Contact Details = Perfect Publishers Ltd
23 Maitland Avenue
Cambridge
CB4 1TA
Tel: + 44 (0) 1223 424422
Fax: + 44 (0) 1223 424414