Innovative Models in Senior Living
One of the best pieces of wisdom that I picked up from a college professor is that “moving into senior living should feel like going away to college.” He elaborated that in college, there are several things that we look forward to and can reasonably assume will happen: we will move into a new place (sometimes with a roommate), we will have an abundance of activities to choose from, we will make new friends, and we will try out the dining halls. Transferring these same ideas to senior living and cultivating built up excitement surrounding them will lead to the gold standard: moving into a nice apartment, having a calendar with many stimulating activities to choose from, making friends in the same age group based on common interests, and eating delicious varieties of food prepared by a chef. And it’s not far-fetched to believe that senior living could become this, that it could ultimately be a phase of life that you look forward to the same way you did college- especially given the advancements and creativity occurring in the industry.
You see, senior living is changing. Leaders in the industry are beginning to understand that adjustments need to be made in order to curb the current sentiments surrounding senior living, and foster an eagerness to choose this way of life. Without further ado, I’d like to share three innovations in the models of senior living that I believe will heighten the perception surrounding it, and turn the internalized “I would hate that” to an enthusiastic “I would love that.”
#1: Green House Model
The Green House model is a growing, nationally recognized model developed by Harvard-trained geriatrician, Dr. William Thomas. The model includes small homes that emphasize the formation of deep relationships between residents and staff. Meals are made in an open kitchen and residents, staff and visitors eat together as a family. There is great importance placed on the communal area at the center of the home, which includes a hearth, dining room, and kitchen- as well as private areas so that residents can maintain their autonomy, privacy and dignity. Think of the Green House Model as the house you would rent in college with a few good friends. If you want to visit and chat with your friends, you can go to the kitchen or sit around the hearth- but if not, you have your own private room where you are free to relax without disturbance. There is a certain level of comfort that comes from seeing the same people every day, and forming meaningful connections with those people. There is also comfort in knowing that you have your own space and the choice to go there without being questioned.
If you’d like to learn more about the Green House model, click here.
#2: University-Based Retirement Communities (UBRCs)
UBRCs are exactly what they sound like: retirement communities that are either strategically built within a college campus, or are located in the surrounding community and have a formal partnership with the university. UBRCs encourage intergenerational activity as well as lifelong learning, two important aspects of a fulfilling life in old age. Older adults are offered the opportunity to take classes at the accompanying university, while still having all the benefits of healthcare provided by a long-term care community. They also get to be surrounded by younger adults that will stimulate positive memories and encourage active engagement in life.
Take Holy Cross Village at Notre Dame, for example. Residing just outside of Notre Dame, residents of Holy Cross Village have complete access to the library, gym, athletic events, and college-level classes. Residents also participate in a lecture series and help with international student programs.
#3: Main Street Model
The Main Street Model provides a central area which features amenities such as restaurants, salons, tailors, and various other shops. This design brings energy and vitality to senior living communities by shattering the “corporation feel” and replacing it with amenities that are run by outside businesses. In other words, when residents walk into the “main street” within the community, they will see amenities (such as a spa) that is run by an outside company. This encourages a real community feel, and also helps residents feel like they aren’t trapped in a place with no ties to the outside world.
Rose Villa Senior Living, based in Portland, has been modeling their main street to reflect the Portland community. The “downtown” they have built features two and three-story buildings with ground-level amenities for residents to access. They are hopeful that the beautiful area will draw in members of the outside community as well, contributing to and nurturing the community feel.
These three models are just a few of the ideas circulating the senior living industry. My guess is that more options will come about as the demand increases and the target market becomes increasingly persistent in asking for what they want. The successful senior living communities of the future will be the ones that make changes based on the market’s evolving preferences, not based on what they think is best for older adults. I look forward to seeing what the industry has to offer, and I have high hopes that soon enough, the option of senior living will feel like “going away to college.”
