Environments for Aging’s 2025 Senior Living Design Industry Predictions series continues with Alicia Nicolay, director of design at Spellman Brady & Company (St. Louis).
Check out Nicolay’s thoughts on what opportunities and challenges are ahead for the industry over the next 12 months, including a need for more affordable senior living.
Environments for Aging: Do you think the new administration’s policies will affect construction prices and labor—how? If so, what impact will that have on the senior living design sector?
Alicia Nicolay: I am optimistic, with the election being over, that things will begin to head in the right direction with inflation and cost, with less hesitancy to fund projects.
EFA: Where do you think the senior living design industry is heading in 2025?
Nicolay: I am hopeful that the industry will continue to focus on more affordable options for our future residents.
EFA: Demand for senior living units continued to outpace inventory in 2024. Do you expect that to continue in the coming year or will the “cork pop soon”?
Nicolay: I am anticipating the cork to pop soon on the market and funding for projects to open up. I believe some operators are anticipating this as well and have begun to move projects forward into design to take advantage of funding sooner than later.
For more insights from industry leaders, read here.
Anne DiNardo is editor-in-chief of Environments for Aging and can be reached at [email protected].
