Older consumers are increasingly thinking ’young’, are craving continued independence as they age, and have a fear of being stigmatized as impaired. Younger consumers are often made to adapt to “shrunk-down” adult products, which don’t accommodate their growing bodies or developmental stages.

Aging brings wisdom, but often at the expense of physical abilities. We have long explored the aging process from a consumer’s point of view, not merely because a greater percent of the population is elderly, but because we want to make sure older people continue living as best they can.

In the late 1980’s with the introduction of Universal Design principles into the mass market through OXO’s Good Grips line of products, we helped pioneer the thinking around solving design problems for people at the ends of the spectrum. We studied those with physical and cognitive challenges (often stemming from their age) such as arthritis, poor hearing, impaired vision, less-than-average adult strength or dexterity, lapses in memory, shorter attention spans, and limited mobility.

Insights gathered in these areas have been expanded upon during the years and we have an extensive body of work that reflects the very best in what is often referred to as, “design for all”. By developing innovative products that appeal to either children or the elderly, we enable our clients to access a wider audience and expand their brand reach and loyalty.

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