Retirement Housing Is Going Through a Great Change

Change can go either way, but thankfully, it is going in a good direction for retirement housing and those who use these types of homes. High-ranking members of this industry like Robert Kramer are talking about how the industry is attempting to change to appeal to a new generation of senior Americans.

Boomers Changing Things Up

Experts in the field think the main reason retirement communities need to change deals with baby boomers. Some of them are finally entering their early 70s, and this is going to change things around because their needs are different. One thing that is definitely going to change is the word “senior” because baby boomers simply do not like this word. Another aspect that is going to change is what these retirees are going to be doing in their new communities because many of them are expecting to launch a new business or career rather than just stop working altogether.

Reversing Segregated Communities

For some time, retirement housing focused on building communities that were separate from society. These communities sometimes have the following:

• Restaurants
• Grocery Stores
• Shopping Centers
• Service Businesses

Baby boomers are hungry to participate in society and no longer want to live in a cocoon. Experts in the industry believe that retirement communities are going to be in places where younger people live, meaning both age groups will be crossing paths often, maybe even shopping and eating in the same locations.

Changing Health Requirements

Baby boomers and their children are expecting retirement communities to be more active when it comes to health care. For the most part, these facilities have relied on clinics and hospitals to take care of an elderly person in need. The facility would make a call, and the elderly person would be picked up. This is no longer what people want, and the industry needs to reflect this. Boomers and their kids want the facility to improve quality of living and health maintenance rather than just medical interventions.

Demand for Specialized Talent

Another thing that is going to change in the industry is the demand for high-skilled labor. Senior communities usually rely on low-wage workers with subpar skills. This meant finding individuals was not too hard, and the cost of keeping labor was relatively low, but as boomers begin to age, they want highly skilled workers. This generation expects all workers to be knowledgeable about wellness, and now communities have to provide that if they want to stay afloat.

Better Equipped Facilities

As mentioned earlier, baby boomers see this age as a new opportunity to work, and they can do this in a more effective way because of the Internet. This generation expects facilities to be able to facilitate this new lifestyle by providing everything, like the following:

• High Speed Internet
• Dedicated Phone Lines
• Office Spaces
• Pickup and Delivery Services

These are just some things that are changing within this industry, and it is a good thing because no industry should stay stagnant because people’s needs will always evolve.