Canada President’s Message

When the Storm Subsides

By David Parton —Mobility in Motion

PRESIDENT, NMEDA CANADA

We recently held what

might have been the last conference or gathering of people in one place for one reason, to be held this year.

Our topic amongst many was change that was happening at a rapid pace, and how we were preparing for and adapting to that change, be it in chassis changes, hybrid and electric vehicles, and ways to make them work for the niche clients we serve.

Well I think it is safe to say, we never conceived of the change that was about to roll over us turning our world into a trailer park after a twister has blown through.

These days of quarantines and staying home to flatten the curve lend themselves to contemplation and consideration. What comes next? What will be left standing when the pandemic has abated? Will we be standing, or will we be swept away in the same manner as all of the local restaurants and the waitstaff they once employed.

The Canadian Home Builders Association recently issued their magazine for all their members. The front cover has a topic “Aging In Place,” and the article is titled, “The Comforts of Home.” You ask, what does that have to do with Mobility dealers and NMEDA? When the winds of change are blowing, we need to know the wind’s direction and what it will mean to us. Canada’s official languages, French and English.

According to Statistics Canada, the baby boomers are reaching their golden years. There are now more people aged 65 and older than there are 14 and under. There are numerous health issues with this population, but significantly, they as a group wish to live their lives out in the homes they own and cherish. CARP, “The Canadian Association of Retired Persons,” tells me they have significant volumes of members asking them questions on driving aids, accessible vehicles, what is available to allow them to continue to live in their home and community. We are immersed in the industry, and often have our own language and our As this pandemic has swept across our world, sadly one of the most heart wrenching aspects has been the numbers of dead who got sick while living in their retirement or long-term care home. It has been suggested that if able, families should take their family members out of their care home and take them home to reduce potential exposure to this virus. For many it is too late to do this. Depending upon the needs, there is significant preparation to be done to bring home a person from such a facility. If the destination home is not accessible or readily made so, it represents only a barrier. I was listening to Mark Cuban and he

It is time for fresh thinking, new directions, better planning and results.”

“own terms. When a person looks at our website seeking answers, they may be there but they may not know they are. We get it, but we speak this language, we need to assume others don’t. This population is very tech savvy and they will do their research and homework. We need our web offerings to be easily navigated and our NMEDA website needs to be a wealth of information and in both of was speaking to where America goes from here. His position was that the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in America today. When this storm subsides and people come out to find much has changed, they will step up and take things in new directions. Many have recently seen their investments evaporate, and depending upon where you are in your life cycle, this will either be a

hiccup that will correct itself over time, or this will mean more years in the saddle as the dream of a comfortable retirement just took a hit on the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

Listen to the statement, “Baby Boomers are getting older, but they don’t want to move into seniors’ homes.”

Sounds like something some entrepreneurs could take up and begin to flesh out what that will look like.

Whatever you do or have been doing, stay safe and consider where you and your world need to go once this chapter is over.

The definition of insanity is, “Doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result.” It is time for fresh thinking, new directions, better planning and results. I hope to see you all at the next conference, and I hope we go forward ready to serve and ready to innovate and change this world going forward.

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For informa�on and to become a dealer, contact Randy. RandyK@clockmobility.com 800.732.5625