With better light, wider aisles, this is your grandfather's store

For some older adults, shopping can be a stressful experience. They might not be able to bend down to reach products on low shelves. They may not be able to read price tags if the print is too small, or the lighting too dim. And what if the aisles are narrow and hard to negotiate with a walker or cane?

Some seniors may not even try to visit stores in their neighborhood for those reasons. But a new initiative aims to change that, by creating "elder-friendly" business districts across the city.

The initiative, which started as a pilot program in Mission Hill a few years ago, is expanding to commercial districts in Dorchester, Hyde Park, Roslindale, and West Roxbury.

The program's goal is two-fold: to make sure seniors can get what they need, and help local businesses reach out to an untapped and growing customer base.

Main Streets organizations in Fields Corner, Hyde Park, Roslindale Village, and West Roxbury are recruiting senior volunteers to act as mystery shoppers to evaluate local businesses that participate in the program. Businesses that meet certain criteria will receive a bright yellow decal that states in bold red letters, "This business is certified ELDER FRIENDLY," which can be displayed in their storefront window.

Businesses that don't initially qualify can get advice from Main Streets staff, who will meet with the business owners to discuss the results and how they can become more elder-friendly. Results of the evaluations are confidential, and certification is good for two years.

Evelyn Darling, executive director of Fields Corner Main Street, hopes the program will raise awareness among the older population in these neighborhoods, who might be living quietly in three-deckers or senior housing, unaware of what local stores and restaurants may offer.

The older adult population represents a large and growing consumer group; by the year 2010, one in three Americans will be over age 50, according to the Boston Partnership for Older Adults, which helped launch the initiative in Mission Hill.

According to Darling, there are nearly 6,300 people over the age of 60 who live within a 1-mile radius of Fields Corner. That number jumps to 19,300 when you look at a 2-mile radius, she said.

"There's a big senior population living in Fields Corner, and coming to Fields Corner, but they're not necessarily shopping here," said Darling. "The idea is to look at how they can make business districts amenable and attractive to older adults."

The idea of certifying businesses as elder-friendly was first developed in 1993 by Elders in Action, a nonprofit organization in Portland, Oregon. "It was started by volunteers, as a way to get businesses to better serve senior customers," said Vicki Hersen, executive director of Elders in Action. "We've made a lot of positive changes."

The evaluations are done by senior volunteers, because they can spot things that matter most to their peers, she said, "things that people don't think of."

"Does a real person answer the phone?" she suggests. "Are menu and prices printed in a 14-point font? Is there seating available for older customers who may need to wait for a bus or cab? Do the chairs have arms on them? For some people with arthritis, it's hard to get up out of a chair with no arms."

In 15 years the program has expanded to 14 cities in 10 states, according to Hersen. Boston is the first attempt to create elder-friendly business districts that span the city, she said.

So far, six businesses in the Mission Hill Main Street business district have been certified, and another six are scheduled to be certified in the coming weeks. Trained volunteers will start evaluating shops in Fields Corner, Hyde Park, Roslindale Village, and West Roxbury by the summer. The Main Streets organizations also are reaching out to local businesses to participate in the voluntary program and aim to help - and not punish - establishments that do not meet the criteria.

"There are a lot of different things businesses can do that don't cost a lot of money," said Darling.

A restaurant could offer an early-bird special, serve smaller portions at a lower price from 4 to 6 p.m., and print up some menus using a large-sized easy-to-read font. Local shops can train their employees to be mindful of senior citizens' needs, she said.

"We focus on the businesses in the district, we don't usually focus on one age group," said Janice Williams, executive director of Roslindale Village Main Street. "This is an interesting and worthwhile project, both for the businesses and the seniors. Making businesses elder-friendly means making it friendly for everyone."

Emily Sweeney can be reached at esweeney@globe.com.