Arthritis awareness is good for business

September is Arthritis Month. How can you help make guests with arthritis more comfortable?

Arthritis is a serious disease affecting 4.5 million Canadians. This is a 1 in 6 ratio and this number is growing rapidly, by 100,000 a year.

For many people with arthritis, simple tasks that others take for granted can cause extreme pain. Many have difficulties with fine motor activities such as opening a water bottle, turning a key or simply moving from sitting a position or from lying down to standing or sitting up. With this in mind and the fact that the population with arthritis is growing, it is incumbent upon the hotel and lodging industry to offer as many services and resources as possible to make clientele with arthritis more comfortable. Providing exclusive services for Canada’s aging population is critical to positioning your business as the lodging of choice to those with physical challenges.

Accessibility
There are a number of items that would provide those with arthritis a more comfortable stay. Some of these can be easily installed during renovations or the initial construction and include things such as wheelchair accessible ramps to your premises and firm mattresses in certain rooms. Perhaps in designated suites you could consider wider doorways, support rails in the washrooms, and wheelchair accessible washrooms.

Assistive devices on request make a difference for guests

Specific assistive devices that could be offered “by request only” or for a small fee through the front desk, include items such as:
o    a raised toilet seat;
o    a support pillow;
o    an “M” bar, which slips under the mattress beside the bed and allows them to get up more easily from the bed;
o    easy grip handles on utensils in suites with kitchenettes;
o    a rubber mat for the bath tub to prevent slipping when they step in and out;
o    an adaptive opener to assist with opening bottles or items that require a stronger grip than many people with arthritis have;
o    a large-font directory of services for those with impaired vision;
o    a tub seat, which enables the individual to sit in the tub (even when showering) for stability;
o    lever taps; and
o    a clamp-on tub grab bar (can be attached to the tub as needed then removed).

Neck support pillow

Although some of these purchases or renovations have an upfront expense, with proper marketing the return on investment should outweigh the expenses in the long run.

If you have a business that you feel meets many of these needs, please contact us. For further information on assistive devices please call The Arthritis Society at 1-800-321-1433.

The Arthritis Society is Canada’s principal arthritis health charity dedicated to funding and promoting arthritis education, research-based solutions and community-based support. The Society empowers the nearly 4.5 million Canadians with arthritis to live their lives to the fullest by combating the daily limitations of arthritis.

Prepared for Canadian Lodging News
by The Arthritis Society, Toronto