A friend once told me about visiting the Jersey Shore as a kid and seeing huge old mansions converted into retirement homes. Every summer, there would be dozens of residents sitting in rocking chairs on the porch, taking in the sites of the bustling beach community. These people, she estimated, were between 60 and 80 years old for the most part. Today, the statistics show that people of this age are doing anything but sitting on the porch; and senior communities need more rock and roll than rocking chairs to appeal to residents.

Zach Bowyer, MAI, MRICS, senior managing director, valuation & advisory/living sectors at C&W, told Pi, “Our same-store valuation data does suggest year-over-year improvement in operating margins, which is a combination of improved occupancy, rent growth, and improving labor market. However, continued innovations in technology, healthcare provider partnerships and building envelope will be required in order to regain pre-COVID operating margins.”

Senior living is much more complex, varied, and creative than ever, and residents and their families expect diverse and numerous amenities. Innovation and flexibility are keys to thriving in this evolving market, and both come into play with the successful integration of independent living into assisted living, the topic of a recent TALAHour webinar hosted by Misty Powell, Chief Program Officer/Co-Founder of Civitas Senior Living, and Greg Hunteman, President of Pi Architects. The two hosts, both TALA members and frequent collaborators on several projects, talked about the different models of integration, the advantages and challenges of each, and how to make them successful for the needs of residents, community operations, and cost-effectiveness.

For the Capstone at Centerra Assisted Living and Memory Care, familiarity is a key element of the community’s success. Throughout the design process, the local history and atmosphere of Loveland, CO, was kept front and center. The result is a stunning new assisted living and memory care community that pairs a rustic agrarian atmosphere with timeless simplicity, forming a love letter to its hometown.

In today’s fast-moving world of trends, it can be difficult and overwhelming to understand, much less implement, the latest style into one’s life.  The world of Interior Design is no different in that trends move fast and can be somewhat hard to identify.  Individuals who what to update can be left feeling lost on what to do unless they want to adopt a very particular style where the rules are clear.  Design styles such as French County, English Cottage, Southwestern, etc. can look great when well executed, but can also make designers and decorators feel like they need to choose pieces that fit neatly within boundaries, therefore hindering creativity or personalizing a space. 

Predicting the future takes more than some educated guesses and creative thinking. Looking into the future of senior living means taking a fresh and insightful look at a new generation of older adults -- individuals with their own experiences, challenges, concerns, goals, interests, and demands.

Pi sat down with Bryon Cohron, vice president, of market analysis and business development at ProMatura, to talk about how senior living design is evolving to meet the needs of seniors tomorrow and 10 and 20 years down the road.

Like so many aspects of senior living, pools have evolved. No longer are these just for lounging or swimming. Increasingly, the design and features of a pool and the surroundings are carefully thought out and planned or can result in an expensive unused, and high-maintenance amenity that does little to attract prospects. Before making an investment in a pool, communities need to determine how residents want to use the amenity and what features or accessories will be needed.

As the winter holidays are now in full swing, we can all give thanks to, and for, each other for working together to meet all the challenges of the past few years. Thank you! It is great to be thinking about a new year and what innovative and exciting things await us!

Last year, I had the honor of moderating an online program on Post-Pandemic Trends for Senior Housing. Dean Maddalena, AIA, and Karla Jackson of Studio Six5 were the presenters; and they shared some valuable insights into what the world of senior housing might look like in 2022 and beyond as part of the AIA Design for Aging webinar series.

While inflation has hit the senior housing world, this doesn’t mean you can’t build or renovate a great community. You just need the right materials, the right team, and the ability to be flexible and innovative.

Summer is here. Your residents will be spending more time outside, and prospects will be looking at what amenities they’ll enjoy when they move in. It’s not too late to make some changes and additions to create the most beautiful, lush, comfortable, and functional outdoor spaces for everyone.

A perfect storm is brewing. The senior living industry is in the midst of a revolution, and dining is a key part. The culinary program is at the heart of the hospitality experience for any community. First impressions matter, and this is one of the initial community elements prospective residents and their families want to see.

Clearly, technology in senior living has never been more important or innovative. From tech that enables residents to age in place safely to devices that let residents receive care, communicate with family and friends, and shop, work, and enjoy activities remotely, senior care tech is gaining momentum.

Pi sat down with Mike Girard, chief investment officer at Senior Living Residences, to discuss where the senior housing industry is heading. His insights paint a portrait of fast-paced change, unprecedented innovations, and seemingly limitless opportunities.

Lots of Senior Living Communities look good at a glance. But what does it take to have buildings and spaces that combine beauty, functionality, practicality, energy efficiency, safety, and other elements that attract and keep residents? And what amenities do we most want and appreciate?

We asked some of our Pi partners and friends to share their thoughts about what they’re looking forward to in 2022. Judging by their responses, it’s going to be an exciting year filled with many opportunities for positive change. Cutting edge innovations, partnerships and collaborations, plus much more.

Creating environments that enable staff to relax, take a break, enjoy some recreational activities, and have a workplace that feels home-like, senior living communities can attract and retain the best workers.

We at Pi have much to be grateful for this Thanksgiving. We’ve had the opportunity to work with some genuinely visionary individuals and organizations and contribute to the design of senior communities that will provide comfort, purpose, and quality of life for many, many Americans

Many organizations are so busy looking for ways to attract new staff that they’ve overlooked an important way to address staffing shortages – making the best, most efficient use of their current team.

When we design a senior living community, we are thinking about the people who will live there. We try to view the community through their eyes and include features and amenities they want and need. But this requires more than considering their chronological age. We have to think about their subjective age.