August 17, 2021 – London Drugs today announced a new program that will help make shopping experiences and pharmacy services more accessible for people with autism and other cognitive special needs. Partnering with Canadian company Magnusmode, London Drugs will soon offer step-by-step visual and digital guides to help empower individuals with cognitive impairments to access services in the store.
“We have a responsibility to make our retail spaces and pharmacies welcoming and accessible for people with cognitive disabilities, their caregivers and their families,” says Clint Mahlman, President and COO, London Drugs. “Through our partnership with Magnusmode, we are leveraging technology to provide new skills to customers with autism and other unique needs while visiting any of our stores.”
London Drugs customers will soon be able to access Magnusmode’s easy-to-use MagnusCards® mobile app which offers customized digital “Card Decks” that take users through five activities associated with a visit to London Drugs.
The activities include:
- filling and picking up a prescription from the Pharmacy
- getting a vaccination
- making a purchase in the Cosmetics Department
- making a purchase in the Tech Department
- ordering prints from the Photo Lab
By making the actions involved with visiting London Drugs more predictable and manageable, MagnusCards® allows customers with cognitive special needs to become familiar with the various steps in advance in hopes of making their visit to a store undaunting. The app provides the user with reassurances and reinforces routine while the cards use pictures along with plain language text to provide step-by-step instructions.
“Some individuals with cognitive disabilities may not have the confidence to visit a pharmacy or they may face significant challenges asking for help from a pharmacist,” says Nadia Hamilton, Founder and President of Magnusmode. “The launch of MagnusCards® at London Drugs is a big step forward toward more equitable access to care, giving them independence and inclusion, and so their caregivers have greater peace of mind when they visit pharmacies and retail locations.”
London Drugs’ MagnusCards® deck will be available starting August 17, 2021 The MagnusCards® mobile app is free for both Apple and Android devices. Customers simply download the app and create a login to get started.
To download MagnusCards:
- App Store – https://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/magnuscards/id703031651?mt=8
- Google Play – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.magnusmode
ABOUT MAGNUSMODE
Magnusmode is the award-winning company behind MagnusCards® and was founded by Nadia Hamilton, whose brother Troy has autism. The company uses an innovative model that invites brands and venues to demonstrate their brand promise by connecting, engaging and enabling a large, under-served audience. By sponsoring the creation of custom Card Decks to support and guide customers with autism to use products and services, brands and venues can join Magnusmode in creating a more accessible world, while ultimately improving the customer service experience. With over 40 partners and thousands of downloads to date, this accessibility movement is taking off. Magnusmode has headquarters in Toronto, Canada, and as a 2019, recently opened its United States headquarters in Buffalo, New York. The MagnusCards app is available for download on both iOS and Android devices.
