Trends in Senior Living: What You Need to Know?
As the population of seniors is rapidly growing, trends in senior living are evolving to meet the changing needs and demands of this generation. With a growing population of seniors and differing attitudes toward retirement living, new approaches are being implemented to enhance their quality of life.
In this article, we will discuss the latest trends in senior living, which include open floor plans for socialization, emphasis on outdoor amenities, integration with urban environments, engagement with the greater community, self-serve point-of-service options, better employee amenities, style choices for personal spaces, a modern color palate, and high-quality materials for durability. By staying updated with these trends, seniors and their loved ones can make informed decisions about their living arrangements and enjoy a fulfilling life in their golden years.
Senior Living Is Changing
The first thing to know about senior living is that America’s senior population is growing. Similarly, it’s true that current retirees have had different life experiences than their predecessors. Accordingly, this leads to different wants and expectations. The growing population and differing attitudes mandate new approaches to retirement living.
More specifically, senior living facilities formerly stressed seclusion and security. Today’s seniors seek engagement with the greater world around them. We at Vanities International have identified a number of trends that serve this goal.
Trend #1: Modern Senior Living Facilities Have Open Floor Plans
According to current trends in senior living design, open floor plans foster socialization and community. Additionally, properly designed, big rooms can serve many purposes throughout the day. Thus, open spaces are preferable to shutting people away in little rooms.
Trend #2: Today’s Facilities Emphasize the Outdoors
You don’t want retirees constantly confined to little rooms. You also don’t, however, want them constantly indoors at all. A greenhouse for the gardening club is a worthwhile amenity. Additionally, so are an outdoor bar, restaurant, TV and movie theater, a swimming pool, a pet walk, and a grilling area. So too are green lawns for activities like bocce, cornhole, and yoga.
The trick, however, is to make outdoor activities readily visible. Residents won’t join in if they don’t know what’s going on.
Trend #3: Modern Retirement Living Is Gravitating to Urban Environments
As senior living trends change, today’s retirees look forward to using the shops, restaurants, and healthcare and entertainment options available in the city.
Trend #4: Modern Senior Living Integrates Residents with the Greater Community
A modern retirement community fosters engagement between the residents and the neighborhood. It may, for example, do this by providing services and amenities of interest to non-residents.
Trend #5: Bars With Self-Serve Point of Service Options
These bars allow residents to serve themselves, swipe a key card, and get a monthly bill. In addition, to provide convenience for the seniors, they free up staff to provide attention where it’s really needed.
Trend #6: Better Employee Amenities
Nicer employee spaces, perhaps with comfortable seats, fitness equipment, and a pool table, improve staff retention. So do features like childcare.
Trend #7: Today’s Senior Living Apartments Employ More Style Choices
With the advent of new trends in senior living, today’s seniors have traveled extensively and had many varied life experiences. Their taste reflects that. Their personal spaces need to do the same. Digitally printed items like photos, countertops, and even carpeting can aid in this process.
Trend #8: The Modern Color Palate for Senior Living
The colors used in senior living apartments are changing. In part, that’s due to the evolving taste of retirees. It also stems from technology that allows us to see how vision changes as people age.
Saturated colors and jewel tones are gaining in popularity. For the finish, metallic and warm neutrals are edging out cooler silvers and grays. Similarly, dark woods are giving way to lighter wood tones for millwork and furnishings.
Trend #9: Senior Living: The Materials
Porcelain and LVT are becoming increasingly popular. As they’ve gained in quality, they’ve come with excellent and affordable choices for style and durability.