“What about the boomers?” is a question that looms heavily over every current new-build and renovation project in the senior care and living space. How and where these future residents will choose to spend their retirement years is a big deal—but based on their sheer numbers alone, we can safely assume there’s room for myriad types of living arrangements.
But what’s going to be most attractive to the majority of boomers? Many senior care communities are hedging their bets on amenity-rich offerings and wellness-focused programs, among other ideas. And the time to start implementing these strategies is now. As Stuart McCormick of Lambert Architecture + Interiors points out in “A Renovation Strategy to Fit Baby Boomer Needs,” the first wave of boomers retired in 2013, with many more waves to come.
Happily, there are lots of great examples of long-term environments that are well poised to cater to this generation, and this year’s Environments for Aging Design Showcase issue (coming soon) highlights many of them. Moorings Park in Naples, Fla., earned an Award of Merit for its Center for Healthy Living, an impressive 37,000-square-foot facility that houses a medical clinic; spa; rehab space; retail; fitness center; and a gorgeous, high-tech theater for educational and entertainment events—all on one floor. With open site lines and mobile tech-friendly social areas, it’s a promising look at how LTC can attract what’s likely to be a big influx of newer, younger residents without alienating those who already call the community home.
That’s the biggest trick, isn’t it? While some LTC communities expect to see their incoming age statistics drop within the next decade, not all do. And with people living longer than ever, those who’ve already settled into a community require just as much care for their needs—and attention to their preferences—as the “new kids” do.
It’s a fascinating and exciting time to be serving this demographic, and it won’t be long now before we’ll have real numbers to back up boomer preferences, needs, and demands as they begin to cast their votes with their retirement dollars. Until then, we can (and will) look to the ways in which current and new environments are adapting themselves and see what stands out.
