As baby boomers retire, their expectations—in
longevity and lifestyle for themselves and their
parents—are affecting designs for senior living
BY LISA OWENS VIANI
EIGHTY MAY BE THE NEW 60, but that
doesn’t mean most of us relish getting older.
While there are certainly some benefits—
gaining wisdom, not sweating the small
stuff—there are plenty of downsides. Our
bones become less dense; we lose muscle
mass and strength and balance; and our eyes,
ears, and parts of our brains don’t function
as well. Another drawback (at least for many
people) is the possibility of being uprooted
and having to move into some type of senior
living facility.
In the not-too-distant past, many of these
places had a hospital vibe and were tucked
away from mainstream society. But as baby
boomers reach retirement age, and/or help
their parents cope with aging, they are looking for facilities that have the comforts and
choices they are used to—places that are less
institutional and isolated than those their
grandparents may have lived in.
RETHINKING THE STATUS QUO
Margaret Calkins is executive director of The
Mayer-Rothschild Foundation and founder of
the IDEAS Institute, a non-profit dedicated to
improving the lives of older adults through
applied research. She says that although
there is a big movement to help people age at
home in their own communities, there will
always be a need for senior living or residen-
tial healthcare and support facilities, formerly
known as nursing homes. And, according to
Calkins, there is a need to better design those
places, boomer-driven or not. “There are
some amazing nursing homes, but they are
few in number,” she says. “The vast major-
ity are okay but not great, and don’t offer a
good quality of life. It’s a tough time of life,
and you’re there because your body is failing
and you need help. We can do better.”
StudioSIX5 in Austin, Texas, is working
to raise the bar. Dean Maddalena, founder
and president, explains that good design
can mitigate the feeling of being old and
needing help so people can age with dignity.
“I’m really passionate about seniors, so to
be able to design wonderful spaces for our
elders is the most rewarding design work
I’ve ever done in my life,” says Maddalena.
With 10,000 people turning 65 every day, he
notes, the demand for better facilities will
keep growing—and there is a huge role for
designers. “Senior living is everything you’ve
ever done, just in one building.” He designs
facilities all along the spectrum: from more
active, multi-family-oriented buildings to
independent living, assisted living, memory
care, and skilled nursing—all of which can
involve short- and long-term rehab, acute
care, and hospice.
With baby boomers pondering where
they want to live or might end up living, these
facilities can no longer be dated or dumpy,
BOOMER
INSPIRATION