Yeah, both my wife and I shake our heads at that one. Especially since it sometimes requires getting wedged between two vehicles.
Much easier just to park away and walk. Being 60+, the exercise is good. If the parking lot is a bit emptier further away and you have two empty parking spots backed up to each other, you can drive forward into the second spot and effectively be "parked backwards".
Drive forward to park; a little extra walking for exercise; drive forward to leave. :D
As far as backing in, THAT DRIVES ME NUTS! To say it's safer is ridiculous b/c you back into the spot or you back out: no difference. Someone could walk behind your car as you back up in either scenario. Someone asked why it's harder to back into a spot than to go in THE RIGHT WAY. It's b/c when you pull out you have the entire parking lot to pull into, backing up you are pulling into a small finite space.