With the rapid increase of the numbers of seniors (65+) in society, the question is often asked, “What is the future of Retirement Communities?” Retirement Communities are a relatively new phenomenon. For clarification sake, typically retirement communities are sponsored by a not-for-profit organizations, as a part of their mission. These communities attract seniors by providing an array of homes, apartments, cottages and duplexes for active and independent seniors in a congregate setting forming a real sense of ‘community.’ Along with living options, designed specifically for seniors, there will be provided holistic lifestyle activities and amenities, along with the availability of additional medical and supportive assistance, when needed.
In order to answer what Retirement Communities might be like in the future, it is helpful to see how they have developed in the past. Let use the metaphore of a pebble thrown into a pond with the resulting little wave ripples extending out. The splash in the middle made by the pebble is just the beginning.
BASICS: The beginning ‘splash’ started with quite simple expectations of the residents, made up mostly of the World War II generation, a couple of decades earlier. These early Retirement Community residents sought basically to have room, board, safety and security, in a congregate setting and really little else.
COMFORT: With the ‘next wave’ of growth in Retirement Communities, came the expectation by its residents for additional comfort with larger rooms, better food with greater variety and more sophisticated security. “Activities” were added to the basic offerings in Retirement Communities.
CONVENIENCE: As the waves of change extended beyond simply providing room, board, security, comfort and activities, the next improvements to Retirement Communities added new conveniences, such as exercise areas, large group activities, basic shopping and transportation.
STATUS STATEMENT: As Retirement Communities started ‘catching on’ they began making a ‘status statement’ to attract more residents and present themselves as the ‘new’ retirement lifestyle that they truly are! Beautiful buildings and homes, carefully situated on pristine campus settings with tennis courts, golf courses and gardens said to seniors, ‘Come and see the new possibilities and discover a new way to retire!
SOCIAL EXPERIENTIAL: The next wave in the growth of Retirement Communities (I would suggest here is where most Retirement Communities are today) is in what could be called, “Social Experiential.” While great housing, exceptional comfort and convenience, social status and a plethora of activities, fine dining and the availability of medical and personal assistance is now the norm, our seniors have even greater needs and higher expectations when it comes to evaluating life, while residing in a Retirement Community. Seniors today are more demanding, more educated and less likely to have family members living nearby. They feel a greater need for creating new relationships, social interaction, and discovery. Communities that offer opportunities for people to communicate in social settings are attracting seniors who wish to reach out, share and experience life with others, even if sometimes vicariously. Even the ‘environments’ of many Retirement Communities have changed to promote the ‘social experiential’ with town centers, coffee houses, and college classrooms.
THE FUTURE RETIREMENT COMMUNITIES: “Baby Boomers” see themselves not as old, or senior, or even retired, though they may be. Baby Boomers see themselves (I know – I am one of them), as merely ‘teenagers with wrinkles.’ They enter retirement with far more energy and in better health than ever before. They see retirement as allowing them finally, the flexibility in their daily lives to move on to the next ‘big thing.’ It’s a time to develop new interests and pursue past ones with new vigor. Retirement is a time for discovery. A time to ‘make a statement’ about who they are to anyone who’ll listen! It a time for a new sense of ‘purposefulness’ as they figure out how to live the rest of their lives!
PURPOSE-DRIVEN COMMUNITIES: Whatever the future of our next wave of Retirement Communities, we’ll build on the past focus with the concept of ‘holistic’ care and add a fresh concept of ‘purpose-driven!’ A purpose-driven Retirement Community will be marked by a keen sense that quality living means living with personal intent! Seniors will be finding new ways to contribute to our larger society. With every waking day will come the desire to accomplish. Satisfaction will be a subset of purposeful activity. Retirement Communities will be built around its’ residents helping others and making society in general a better place for all people.
THEMED RETIREMENT COMMUNITIES: The next wave of seniors may be attracted to Retirement Communities that offer ‘themes.’ Such as a focus on: Athletics and exercise; Equestrian; Vintage Cars; Hobbies and Crafts; Discovery and Travel; Education; Theatre and Drama; Technology (etc. etc.). These communities could offer their residents the vary latest in their specialty themes. This ‘niche’ marketing approach may attract a specific profile of resident and feed their skills and interests over the more typical ‘one size fits all’ Retirement Community.
SOCIAL STATEMENT COMMUNITIES: Besides ‘themed’ Retirement Communities, another wave of change may be based on Retirement Communities designed to make a ‘Social Statement.’ Ecological friendly senior campuses may feature organic gardening, ‘green’ buildings, with wind / solar energy sources, water features and nutritional dining programs. Some Social Statement communities may have their focus on engaging their residents with a wide menu of social clubs and opportunities for activism. Social groups may include political action groups from both sides of the aisle; organizing ways to aid the world’s hungry; mission trips to foreign locations; medical research and ethics; theological discussions and many more. More and more colleges and universities are associating with Retirement Communities in a partnering effort providing education to seniors in return for seniors providing volunteer services.
RETIREMENT COMMUNITIES NETWORKING: A more distant, but likely wave of change would included having Retirement Communities linking with each other. Instead of an attitude of competition, sponsors may deicide to share their amenities and key features with others, creating a network so residents could travel and have access to the benefits of other communities. This is a potential ‘win – win’ situation for community sponsors and even more so for the residents. Imagine a community in the south networking with a community in the north. With available housing at each a resident could ‘winter’ in the south and ‘summer’ in the north. This is far beyond the common ‘time share’ concept as it would include participating in a full array of activities and senior designed services and supports.
INTERNATIONAL RETIREMENT COMMUNITIES NETWORKING: As the waves of change grow at the rate of the ‘silver tsunami’ with great numbers of seniors added to the demographics worldwide, there will come the even greater realization that the world truly is getting smaller. Retirement Communities are not an exclusive concept to the United States. Fabulous communities exist throughout the globe, so if networking works in the US, why not create an International Network of Retirment Communities. One could live in a Retirement Community in Wisconsin for part of the year and then move on to have residential ‘privaleges’ in another Retirement Community in the south of France; Sweden; Aruba or Australia!
VIRTUAL SENIOR COMMUNITIES: We are an inter-connected world and with talk about the coming of ‘Internet II’ (100 times or faster internet connections) and the unbelievable potential of near future nanotechnology, some would suggest that the ultimate Retirement Community would simply allow for one to live at one’s home with retirement opportunities coming to them. A sponsoring Retirement organization (through a formal agreement and internet connections) could offer services and programs such as: Remote Home Monitoring so immediate response could be made if a medical or security problem arose; Providing tour and travel arrangements with other seniors; Home maintenance and repair services (i.e. lawn mowing; window cleaning; snow shoveling; housekeeping) Electronic payment of bills and tax preparation; Personalized transportation services; Membership and transportation to local clubs, organizations, churches, and community events; Medical services short and long term with nurse services, assists with medication, meals, hygene, dressing, and therapy; Personal assistance for shopping; Personal representation during doctor visits, getting perscriptions filled, or meeting with attorneys; Companionship for activities, exercise, and social events; Individualized specially prepared meals delivered daily to one’s home; and many, many more.