Baby Boomers are Enhancing Senior Living
How Are the Baby Boomers Shaping the Senior Living Landscape?
It’s well understood that the Baby Boomer generation changed America. Aside from the sheer size of the Baby Boom generation — some 75 million strong, born between 1946 and 1964 — as a group they’ve strongly influenced national culture, determined the course of consumerism and revolutionized political activism.
They’re also living longer than generations before them. Which means as older adults, they’re now reshaping independent living and redefining what it means to live an active lifestyle at retirement communities across the country.
Here are five ways the Baby Boomer generation is different from any other generation before or since them, and how those differences are profoundly changing senior living.
- Baby Boomers don’t think they’re old. As Baby Boomers’ life spans get longer (an average Boomer can expect to live to about 80) their idea of what “old” is changes. One recent study found that adults tend to report feeling 20% younger than their actual age. Some researchers call it “age confusion”: Basically, Baby Boomers know they’re mortal, but they don’t quite believe it.
And that can be a good thing. They’re focusing more on staying on the move, eating well, being with friends, and finding purpose simply because they still feel young. And if they consider an independent living community, it needs to provide lots of wellness opportunities to keep them feeling young and able to continue their active lifestyles.Fitness centers with classes and trained instructors, exercise equipment designed specifically for older adults, and even an indoor pool available year-round so they can enjoy low-impact workouts. While an on-site fitness center and swimming pool may sound like luxury living options, they’re amenities Baby Boomers increasingly expect. - They want retirement their way. Baby Boomers expect options customized to them. And they want to do what they want, when they want to do it. What they don’t want is to be told when or what to eat. They don’t want a calendar of events and activities they had no input in developing. And they have no intention of giving up interests, passions or hobbies they’ve always pursued.So to appeal to Baby Boomers, a Life Plan Community should offer multiple dining venue options with diverse menus. The activities need to be plentiful, diverse and engaging. And big bonus points for common spaces within the community that allow Boomers to enjoy their hobbies — whether that’s an auditorium where they can perform with their blues band or a bar where they can try their hand at mixology.
- They want to be close to where the action is. Location is important to Baby Boomers. They moved to the suburbs for the quality of life and so their children could attend good schools. Now that their kids are grown, they’re not averse to staying in the suburbs, but they want to be close to where they may not need a car to easily get to grocery stores. They also want easy access to services like doctors and pharmacies, and nearby opportunities and amenities like shopping, dining and entertainment.An independent living community with a prime location can be extra-attractive to Boomers. Boomers are also interested in retirement communities that offer organized transportation available to them when they need it, to take them where they want to go. Bonus points for senior living communities that offer garage or underground parking for Boomers to park their cars, golf carts or motorcycles.
- They want smart solutions to the rising costs of health care. Health care costs are a concern for nearly every older American, regardless of their generation. Average medical expenses in retirement are 13% of spending — and that increases with age. So Baby Boomers are demanding innovative and cost-effective ways to access information and receive care.
Research from the College of Public Health and Social Justice showed more Boomers are turning to health websites, email, automated call centers, medical video conferences and text messaging as part of their health care services.And because Baby Boomers are more tech-savvy than the Silent Generation before them, they’re getting into wearable technology and embracing the convenience technology offers them.Boomers are wearing smartwatches to track their blood pressure and heart rate, measure their physical activity and remind them to take a moment to meditate. This pivot toward technology can help lower Boomers’ health care costs and improve home care and self-care. - They recognize the value of care for someday, but enjoying their lives now is their big priority. Boomers understand the importance of having assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing available to them if they ever need it. But they don’t plan to sit around and do nothing until that need arises. Baby Boomers want a smart plan in place for care; once they have it, they expect their independent living community to help them do just that: Live independently.
This also helps explain why Continuing Care Retirement Communities are changing their terminology, increasingly referring to themselves as Life Plan Communities: “Care” isn’t the main focus; now, having a “plan for life” is emphasized.At Santa Marta, we understand the value of having a plan for life. It’s why we offer Life Care. But we offer Boomers — and all older adults — so much more than care for life.Get a better look at all the advantages of a Life Care community. Start by contacting us to schedule your personal tour. And if you’re pretty comfy right there on your couch, take a peek now at some of our common spaces or peruse one of our floor plans.