ICON - January/February 2017

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.