Businesses across the Northern Sound region have been asked to "consider older people" when it comes to accepting both card and cash payments. That's according to Barry Eaton who is the Social Inclusion Development Officer with Monaghan County Council.
The Monaghan Age Friendly Programme, in partnership with the Local Enterprise Office recently provided training for local businesses. The training outlines ways in which local businesses can be more "age friendly" in order to entice older people back into the town centre.
Speaking to Northern Sound, Barry said that the move towards a cashless society has created great fear amongst the older generation of society. He believes that "independence" is of up most important to the elderly, and that moves towards a cashless society would only implicate that and their quality of life. "There is a move towards a cashless society but that is something that we are constantly campaigning against," explained Barry. "There is a real fear out there as older people value their independence and having to ask for help takes that away from them which in-turn impacts their quality of life."
