The first wave of baby boomers turned 60 in 2006, and subsequent waves (those born from 1946 to 1964) have been following. I am one among the approximately 76 million baby boomer cohorts that have, or will be reaching retirement age within the next eight years.
Although there are indications that this retirement age statistic may be affected by the economic downturn due to bankruptcy, or loss or reduction in retirement nest eggs (a national study conducted in 1991 indicated that of those who filed for bankruptcy protection, half were baby boomers) one thing is clear, we will continue to age regardless, and we need to have our living environments and neighborhoods support the physical, cognitive, as well as psycho-social needs of our aging population.
Whether we decide to “age in place”, elect to downsize, or move to a senior living community, the architectural/design industry, as well as provider communities, must learn to adapt and respond to the needs of this burgeoning population by realizing that just designing aesthetically beautiful spaces or neighborhoods misses the mark. We need to understand and address, through ongoing education and research, the needs of seniors in their living environments.
The vast majority of boomers (approx. 75-80%) say they want to stay in their homes for the duration of their lifetime. The problem is that many neighborhoods were not, and still are not, constructed with an eye toward an aging resident population. Few new homes are built with Universal Design elements that can be safely used by adults as we age – such as curbless showers, adjustable height counters, ramps, etc.
The expense to modify the home later in life can become prohibitive, especially on a fixed retirement income. Additionally, living in a suburban neighborhood where people have to drive to the supermarket, doctor, or just socialize with friends becomes challenging when eyesight and/or health deteriorates and driving is no longer an option. Add this to the fact that many neighborhoods are not built with safe sidewalks for providing outdoor exercise, the end result being seniors feeling imprisoned, unsafe, and isolated in their own homes.
Senior Living Communities, which are supposedly designed to be more responsive and focused on the needs of the 50+ population, can sometimes be more “beautiful” than thoughtful.
Case in point – I had the opportunity recently to tour an “award winning” anonymous senior living community. While I applaud the great program integrated into this community for ongoing education affiliated with a local college, I found myself touring endless corridors of independent or assisted living apartments with the same off-white painted walls, and carpeting that seldom varied in pattern or color in any of those corridors.
As we age we need more visual cues for wayfinding (even I was confused in this maze!), and have increasing issues, due to aging eyes, distinguishing between horizontal and vertical planes (floors and walls) if they are similar in tone or color.
Lighting becomes another big issue – as we age our retinas do not allow in as much light as when we were younger, so the light levels that may be sufficient in a particular room now will need to be increased as we get older. And by older, I don’t mean just when we are in our 70’s or 80’s, but even 50’s and 60’s! Additionally, the retina hardens and yellows as we age, affecting both the perception of color as well as decreasing the amount of light entering the eye.
Glare is also problematic – so those beautiful shiny marble or tile floors so coveted in senior communities or homes while attractive when polished, negatively impact how well we can see.
Last, but not least, I have true concerns over the slow disappearance of intergenerational neighborhoods. With the increase of Senior Living Communities, some of which are as large as major cities, we are segregating ourselves into “young adult” “active adult” and “senior” communities, depriving ourselves of the benefit and richness of learning from, interacting with and enjoying each others’ age and relevant experiences.
Developers, planners, architects, and designers would be wise to anticipate and create communities that promote intergenerational, rather than segregational, living which provides convenient and accessible transportation, and create both adaptive and accessible environments for senior housing closer to, or within urban settings. Boomers will want to, and should be able to enjoy life, through contributing to and being an integral part of the vitality and richness of their community. Understanding the steps we need to take in understanding and supporting this desire through proactive planning and design will be a step in the right direction for the next successive generations – Generation X , Millenials, and beyond.
Ann Melite, NCIDQ is a principal at Tecton Architects, Inc.