Creative Concepts Will Win in Senior Housing

IRVINE, CA-Creative new concepts in senior housing will be the key to catching the big wave of approximately 10,000 Baby Boomers a day turning 65, according to Manny Gonzalez, principal with KTGY Group Inc., a locally based architecture and planning firm. Gonzalez says that developers of age-qualified housing will need to rethink old models due to the modern sensibilities of active older adults.

“The sheer number of Baby Boomers will fuel a demand for new housing in every age-qualified sector, from single family to assisted living,” Gonzalez says. “But healthy active lifestyles and aging in place will require rethinking the old models and the creation of new, innovative living environments.”

Modern senior apartment layouts feature a great-room plan with an inboard bedroom, which allows the traditional 700-square-foot unit to resemble more of a single-family home, according to Gonzalez. In single-family living, it's critical to keep in mind the spatial relationships that accommodate the needs of today's active adult, such as locating a domestic suite adjacent to the owner's suite, locating the entertaining kitchen and Costco pantry—an oversized pantry that allows one to stock up on bulk items often found at warehouse stores--near the owner's entry and locating a “snore room”—a room one can escape to during the night if one's bed partner is snoring—with a back door from the owner's suite. Also, living rooms are a must, he adds.

When it comes to innovative products and the latest Universal Design principles for ageless living, Gonzalez says it isn't as much about new products as it is about new thinking to incorporate Universal Design in tomorrow's homes. A “snail shower”—a walk-in shower with no door that is shaped somewhat like a snail so that water can't get out—features controls that can be accessed at the entry so users don't have to walk all the way to the back to turn it on. “The snail shower, the horizontal laundry chute and the Costco pantry are all examples of simple design features that allow for ageless living,” he says.

Certain amenities in senior housing are becoming obsolete, Gonzalez points out. These include the mail room (email, texting and online bill pay have replaced the post office) and the catering kitchen (the demonstration kitchen has replaced it to teach healthy cooking and eating.) “Wii games have been replaced by WiFi and social media,” he says. “And five bars on your cell phone is a must.”

Similarly, new amenities the age-qualified communities include a state-of-the-art fitness center with “Fitness on Demand”—a life-sized personalized video fitness training class that residents can access on their own time, featuring a choice of levels and classes from Pilates to Spin—and “Total Wellness,” which incorporates all aspects of a healthy lifestyle from fitness to proper eating as well as activities that engage residents in body, mind and spirit.

Also important in senior housing is the exterior environment. “The outdoor environment is as important as what is in the homes,” Gonzalez tells GlobeSt.com. “While we are seeing more active adults choosing to live close to children and grandchildren, the majority still choose the sunbelt states where not only is outdoor recreation desirable within the community, but outdoor living is a must in the home.”

In addition, Gonzalez tells GlobeSt.com that builders who haven't been in the age-qualified space race previously are jumping into the market. “The huge number of Boomers that will be reaching the age where they can choose an active adult community for their next home purchase is attracting many of the public homebuilders who had shied away from communities like that. But forward-thinking master-planned communities like Gavilan in Rancho Mission Viejo and DMB's Verrado in Buckeye, AZ, are attracting many builders new to the market.”

As GlobeSt.com reported last week, the residential real estate market is being harmed by the plethora of institutional investors snapping up homes at inflated prices, Julie Zisfein, a senior associate with Auction.com Research, tells GlobeSt.com. The trend is “damaging affordability, putting potential buyers on the sidelines” and pushing buyers out of the market into the multifamily sector, Zisfein says.