One of the things I really love about my profession and TPD’s focus on designing for longevity is the ability to deep dive into specific areas of learning.
I recently attended the Environments for Aging conference in Atlanta, which in general is a great conference and resource for the work we do here at TPD. The assembled group of architects, interior designers, builders, vendors, senior living operators, technology specialists, medical practitioners and developers is unique, I think, in that it recognizes that everyone needs to be working together to help provide great living spaces and experiences for older adults. Seminars include post-occupancy evaluations, research-based design examples, and demographic studies, as well as building techniques and examples of inspiring projects.
That said, the conference is generally focused on developer or operator-based facilities or communities, which are themselves built to support specific segments of the older adult population based on the services that individuals require: active adult, independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing, and memory care. What was interesting about this conference, and a marked change from last year, was that many of the presentations I attended were focused on how age-segregated housing might be integrated into a larger context. This meant things like neighborhood coffee shops for residents and commuters, preschools on site to provide childcare for employees as well as the community, or grade level retail, accessed by foot or by car, so that it might be attractive to anyone living in the area. Words like “inter-generational” and “mixed-use” were frequently used to describe these types of communities.
That struck me.
It seemed like there was an interest in making senior living communities take on the characteristics of the neighborhoods that people might be moving from.
I fervently believe that we need to provide options for older adults. There is no one-size fits all when it comes to housing, and that holds true regardless of whether you are a boomer or Gen Z.
But here’s the flip side of that equation: if we are making some really great efforts to design and build senior living that has the qualities of an existing neighborhood, why are we also not engaged in designing and building our existing neighborhoods and homes to be better places for older adults to live? We need both.
Most older Americans want to stay in their homes as long as they can. Some of that is about the house itself. Some of that is also about the neighborhood, the access to services, and the familiarity with the grocery stores, restaurants, and stores that make up the stuff of day-to-day living. If folks want to and are physically able to stay in their homes, that option should be available to them.
This means a few things for me as an architect.
- I believe that it is important for residential architects, multi and single family, as well as public and private, to be a part of the “design for aging” conversation. If aging is happening at home, our homes should support it.
- The second is that we shouldn’t be focusing only on places where older adults live now. We should also be considering where older adults will live in 10 years. In 20. This demands a more comprehensive approach, integrating principles of universal design, accessibility, safety, and long-term livability into every project, regardless of the occupants’ age.
- Finally, resale value should be reimagined: appraisals should take long term livability into consideration. Expanding the availability of suitable homes for older adults is critical: both for unlocking the real estate market as well as for creating vibrant and thriving neighborhoods.
For us here at TPD, we will keep designing so that older and younger adults, kids and grandparents, individuals and families can all live longer in homes they love, whether that’s a new home as part of a larger community or a renovation to an existing family house. Together, we can create neighborhoods and communities where people of all ages can live longer, healthier, and happier lives in the homes they love.
