LeadingAge New York Adviser Fall 2015 Vol. 1 | Page 28

CONFERENCE RECAP

Based on the
conference program
entitled:

An Industry Poised
for Change

CONVERSATIONS I
THAT MATTER:
PREPARING FOR
THE
EXPECTATIONS
OF YOUR FUTURE
CONSUMERS

n the future, baby boomers want to live in a place that makes them
feel as special as their mothers told them they are, and we should be
planning accordingly. Richard Rosen, principal at Perkins Eastman,
said it best: “Businesses that are able to respond to that eternal wish ‘I
want to stay in my own home’ will thrive.”
But what is home and what will it be in the future? Perkins Eastman
Research surveyed major not-for-profit providers and industry
consultants across the country to more thoroughly understand current
trends in senior living care. Almost 200 respondents addressed four
major areas of interest: industry trends, healthcare and senior living
convergence, memory support and neighborhood and Small House
programs. For more information on these results go to “Senior Living
2015 Survey: An Industry Poised for Change” in the handouts
section from the LeadingAge New York annual conference.
Current trends indicate a desire for communities that support people
as they age in their home. These communities can be clustered
housing, built in existing neighborhoods with support and services
or near college communities where boomers can continue to learn in
their senior years. Home can also be what is known as a “household.”
Households are being created for two primary reasons. One, they are
in response to the fastest-growing sector of care, dementia or memory
care. This form of home is considered to be the gold standard for
patients who have memory issues. Two, they are being created for the
boomers who grew up in the 60s where communal living was desired.
This is a return to sharing tasks and responsibilities for all aspects of
daily living. Almost one third of respondents said they either have a
household-type building existing or in the planning stages. Co-housing
is another trend where retired seniors share housing costs and other
responsibilities that come from living together.
What is certain as we look ahead is that people will age, they will want
to age in their homes and they will need to have access to services
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Adviser a publication of LeadingAge New York | Fall 2015