ICON - The magazine of the American Society of Interior Designers - (Page 38)

Designs for B Y N E N A D O N O VA N L E V I N E , A L L I E D M E M B E R A S I D SOME DAYS IT SEEMS AS IF THERE ARE AS MANY STATISTICS ABOUT THE AGING OF AMERICA AS THERE ARE AGING AMERICANS. AARP SURVEYS IN 2002 AND 2005 SHOWED UNEQUIVOCALLY THAT MOST AMERICANS OVER AGE 55 EXPECT TO AGE IN PLACE, BUT HAVEN’T ACTUALLY PLANNED FOR IT. BY A LARGE MAJORITY THE RESPONDENTS HADN’T CONSIDERED WHETHER THEIR CURRENT HOME WOULD ACCOMMODATE THEM IF THEIR ABILITIES CHANGED; WHAT TO DO IF IT DID NOT; OR WHERE ELSE TO AGE. IN FACT, JUST A FRACTION OF TODAY’S HOUSING STOCK PERMITS SAFE, SECURE, AND INDEPENDENT AGING IN PLACE. BUT AS AMERICA AGES, SMART DESIGNERS WILL EMBRACE THE CONCEPT OF “COMMUNITY,” AND WORK TO CHANGE INADEQUATE PLANNING AND HOUSING MODELS. Aging, Someplace Despite the pervasive assumption (and often, desire) that people will stay put in their homes as they age, personal circumstances do sometimes yield a course change. Picking up stakes to age in a different place becomes particularly enticing as housing options targeted to the enormous baby boomer demographic increase. Two common options are “active adult” and independent senior living communities. Savvy designers can recognize opportunities in both. Drue Lawlor, FASID, a longtime design consultant and partner in education-works, inc., has learned that the best outcome results when the person is in control of the decision; that is, when they are “aging in a place of their choice.” That may mean staying put at 55, choosing an “active adult” community at 65, and moving to a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) at 80. This posits aging as a process, not a single destination. “Active Adult” Communities Pulte Homes, the nation’s largest builder of senior communities, launched its Del Webb housing brand in 1960 with the ﬁrst Sun City near Phoenix, Ariz. Most Del Webb communities are age-qualified/agerestricted to “55 and better” owners. 38 ASID ICON | THE MAGAZINE OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF INTERIOR DESIGNERS Homes in these communities are usually detached, single-family residences and the move to an active adult community is often discretionary, a lifestyle choice made in the decade from age 55 to 65. NAHB studies show that these purchasers are more likely than younger purchasers to customize their new homes, and to invest more money doing so. This translates into opportunities for residential designers. Active adult communities include a broad range of amenities for residents. Common features include ﬁrst-ﬂoor master suites, low-maintenance home finishes, fitness and social centers, even high-speed Internet. Communal areas have moved from hospital-inspired to hospitality-inspired, including restaurant-style dining, gourmet cooking instruction and concierge services. Rebecca Stahr, ASID, MCSP, CAPS, CMP, CAASH, president of LifeSpring Environs, Inc., in Atlanta, Ga., wrote recently that “Just as bingo is archaic to today’s retirement ‘homes,’ golf alone cannot be the only drawing card [for active adult communities].” While active adult residences don’t consistently incorporate universal design or safety features, AARP data suggests that residents often plan (or want) to make changes such as adding standalone shower stalls as well as grab bars and shower seats in the bathroom. Additional modiﬁcations like widening doors and hallways are frequently requested, indicating that these features are often not in the original design. Housing that is more than a decade old was planned and built when there was little or no demand for such features in private residences, and even in the years since then, aging in place features may have been seen as unappealing to residents who wanted to “live young.” This is no longer the case, however. Jeff Jenkins, assistant director of the NAHB’s 50+ Housing Council, says the NAHB—along with more and more builders—is focusing on boomers. Jenkins cites the more than 800 attendees at this year’s “Building for Boomers & Beyond: 50+ Housing Symposium” as evidence of increased interest. “Many [builders] are putting these features—no-step entrances, lever-door handles, raised electrical outlets, better lighting— into homes, without consumers asking. They are better serving their older buyers by anticipating their future needs.” NAHB recently released a sevenpart research series, “Profile of the 50+ Housing Market,” containing chapters on demographics, regional and neighborhood attributes, and new construction for the 50+ market, among others. A special study of 2005 data by NAHB housing analysts also concluded that “55+ communities are capturing only about one-third of their potential customers.” This spells opportunity for both builders and designers.

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of ICON - The magazine of the American Society of Interior Designers

ICON - The magazine of the American Society of Interior Designers Contents President’s Message Good to Know Innovations Breathing Life into a Building Designs for Senior Living On the Move Thinking Green Aging in Style Industry Inside ASID Grassroots ASID National Industry Partner Focus Showroom Advertisers Resource Guide Annual Articles Index

ICON - The magazine of the American Society of Interior Designers

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