The past year-plus has been challenging, to say the least. And so much of what our collective efforts have focused on is how design can play a role in alleviating the pressures COVID-19 has placed on our senior living communities and developing solutions to help ensure the industry is in a better position if/when a similar crisis unfolds. So when it was time to prepare this issue of Environments for Aging, I was struck by how it felt a little different, a little lighter.
As usual, our Spring issue is home to the annual EFA Design Showcase (our 25th, in fact!). This design competition/compendium of recent senior living projects is always a favorite, but this year in particular it has allowed a brief escape from reality: The submissions are all projects completed before any of us were saying the word “coronavirus.”
An even greater treat for me was hosting a webinar with the design leads on our award-winning projects to discuss trends found in the Showcase and how they were successfully supported on those projects. I have to admit, it felt good to sit down with industry friends simply to talk design.
And let me tell you, there’s a lot for all of us to discuss. Trends that have been percolating for years are welcome sights across numerous projects—exciting shifts, too, like urban infill projects, communities that support multigenerational interactions, wellness initiatives at the forefront of design, and so on.
You’ll find thoughtful solutions to achieve consistent levels of finish across care setttings, comprehensive art programs and impressive theater spaces, and outdoor areas that could draw anyone out of their apartment. It’s all so heartening to see and demonstrates an understanding of where this industry needs to go from here.
I hope you, too, can enjoy a getaway of sorts as you dive into this issue and appreciate the power of design and its innate ability to make us feel better.
I’d like to share some design news of our own, as well, starting with the addition of a new member to our team: Design Lead Wendi Van Eldik. Wendi previously spent several years steering the design of fellow publications here at Emerald, and we’re thrilled to have her join our EFA family.
Meanwhile, we say goodbye to our longtime art director, Rebecca DeNeau, who’s leaving to pursue new adventures. Becky has been a creative force behind every issue of EFA ever produced (same for our sister magazine, Healthcare Design). I can’t thank her enough for her creativity, inspiration, and grace over the years. I hope to make her proud as we embark on this brand’s next chapter.
To share your perspectives and insights, email Editor-in-Chief Jennifer Kovacs Silvis at jennifer.silvis@emeraldx.
