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Age-Segregated Housing

Future Trends In Senior Housing



It is uncertain how the aging baby boomers will affect the housing market, given analysts' conflicting views of boomers' levels of savings and debts (Benjamin and Anikeeff). Demand for specific types of senior housing will vary by age, as it does now, with young, well, active, and mostly married elders opting for retirement communities and frail elders seeking more service-rich environments. During the first two decades of the twenty-first century, assisted living facilities will experience the largest growth in demand (Edelstein and Lacayo). Need or desire for care is the first and major housing decision elders have to make before they select a specific type of housing. This second decision will depend on a number of economic, demographic, sociological, and health factors. Edelstein and Lacayo predict that while up until 2020, the senior housing demand will grow considerably, there will be a shift from "intensive personal service [to] less personal-intensive congregate care and assisted living housing types" (p. 215). Growing attention to design issues exemplified by the concept of universal design and home modification, combined with a proliferation of in-home services, may widen elders' housing choices (Lanspery and Hyde). As in the past, preference for age-segregated or age-integrated settings will be one of many considerations entering into older adults' housing decisions.



LISA GROGER

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Additional topics

Medicine EncyclopediaAging Healthy - Part 2Age-Segregated Housing - The Debate, Types Of Age-segregated Housing, Future Trends In Senior Housing