Why Senior Housing Needs to Change to Appeal to Boomers

With baby boomers projected to be over 65 by 2030, a conversation on overhauling old models of senior housing needs to happen now, reports Next Avenue . At the Washington Innovation in Longevity Summit, a key topic was why older consumers were not choosing senior living options. Explanations included products being out of line with consumer desires. "The vast majority of people want to live at home because we have not offered options that can compete well with the home," said HumanGood's Dan Hutson. "And we have not done a good job of educating people as to the value benefits of community living." Hutson cited the appeal of congregant living, like co-housing situations, roommates, and similar supportive communities, as a value benefit. "We don't provide enough variety," he said. "We do not have choices. We don't have options for people to look at and say, 'This is the kind of community that will meet our needs.'" Other reasons mentioned included a lack of affordability, and roughly 70 percent of the market cannot currently qualify for affordable housing or senior living communities. Hutson noted senior living communities are highly valued for preventing social isolation, while developers also should consider ways to attract people looking to expand their horizons as they get older.