At this writing, we’re a little over two months out from heading to Chattanooga, Tenn., for the 2021 EFA Expo & Conference being held Aug. 28-31. Despite tiptoeing back to some sense of normalcy lately, it’s surreal to consider that we’ll really all be together soon. The reunion is much needed, and I’m certain there will be no shortage of good vibes throughout those four days.
As energized as I am at the thought of merely being there, I’m also excited to see what we’ll accomplish as an industry with this time together. I keep thinking back on something Jane Rohde, principal at JSR Associates Inc., said to me recently. We were chatting via Zoom to record a spot for an EFA Expo promotional video, and Jane shared some of the things she values most about the show in general and, specifically, why it will be so important to gather in the wake of COVID-19. “If change doesn’t happen now, I don’t know when it’s going to happen,” she said.
And she’s right. The senior living industry was effectively put on pause during the pandemic, with daily operations overhauled, visitations restricted, social activities halted, and even new move-ins frozen. Existing shortcomings were exacerbated, too, and we’ve now realized new value in shifting away from institutional models; integrating more meaningful, activated outdoor spaces; and achieving a heightened sense of community within our physical communities.
Consider isolation. It’s an issue this industry has always worked to combat for senior living residents, yet it endures. During COVID-19, however, it wasn’t just seniors experiencing the detriment of solitude but all of us. What have we collectively learned that can be applied to projects going forward to deliver better solutions?
As the reopening continues and daily life goes back to normal, issues like these push the need to consider if “normal” still cuts it—and if it ever did. New data from the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care (NIC) shows seniors housing occupancy reaching a new low, with the next two quarters expected to signal whether prospective residents are ready to consider a move once again.
So where do we go from here, and how might the design industry help influence a future surge in occupancy?
I’ve asked Jane and a few other industry minds to help answer that question. In the closing keynote for EFA Expo, I’ll sit down with Jane; Lisa Warnock, director of housing interiors at LRS Architects; Steve Lindsey, CEO of Garden Spot Communities; and Mike Harris, president of Cornerstone Senior Living LLC to identify key strategies they think the industry should embrace as we evolve to the next phase of senior living.
It’s a conversation I know won’t just be happening on that stage, either, but between all of our industry members as we take steps forward together. I can’t wait to talk to many of you soon.
