As I talk with both senior living and multi-family developers, there is a big focus and many questions relating to “active adult” or “age-restricted’ apartments. It makes sense for many reasons, but the average age of entry stands out the most. Today the average age at which a person moves into traditional senior housing is 85, with an average length of stay just over six years.
The move-in age for active adult communities is in the low to mid-70’s. The oldest members of the baby boomer generation, those born in 1946, are just now turning 74. This creates a true opportunity to capture a younger senior demographic ten years earlier than traditional senior living facilities.
Boomers considering active adult communities prefer renting over owning to provide them with economic and logistical flexibility. They are attracted by a sense of community and are healthy enough to not need traditional care-based senior housing. At the same time, they do not want to move into a traditional multi-family community where their lifestyle may conflict with younger residents.
With medical and technological advancements, seniors in their 70’s can remain independent longer and better manage their chronic conditions than in the past. A combination of aging-in-place technology, physical design, and home healthcare, active adult residents can age in place even longer.
The Douglas Company has several examples of active adult or age-restricted designs and best practices. We welcome the opportunity to collaborate on how to best serve the baby boomer generation now as opposed to waiting until boomers reach the entry point for traditional senior housing.
Bob Ritter, Director of Business Development
