Aging with Dignity

Aging has its joys and challenges, with sky-high housing costs a major factor. Inclusive communities that offer care and comfort to seniors within a sustainable ecosystem are especially important for those navigating their retirement years with limited financial resources. While the substantial costs associated with assisted living settings for those needing mobility and cognitive support remain a hurdle, creative design solutions can broaden independent living options for people at both low- and middle-income levels.

The supply of affordable environments that enable independence and promote wellness must keep pace with an aging global population. According to the World Health Organization, “Between 2015 and 2050, the proportion of the world’s population over 60 years will nearly double from 12 to 22 percent.” Additionally, by 2050, 80 percent of older people will be living in low- and middle‑income countries.

“Demand is surging for senior housing as America’s population ages, but supply continues to lag,” writes Michele Lerner in a recent Urban Land article. “Supply and demand dynamics don’t tell the whole story, though: senior housing development tends to thrive at the upper end, where seniors with means can afford to live in a continuing care retirement community. It also thrives at the lower end, where government subsidies support housing and healthcare for seniors with fewer resources.”

Zooming into demographics in India and the United States—the world’s first and third most populous countries, respectively, offers more evidence of the rapidly growing need for affordable senior housing. A 2023 report on aging in India, published by the International Institute for Population Sciences and United Nations Population Fund, projects the country’s population of people aged 80‑plus will grow at a rate of some 279 percent between 2022 and 2050 with a “predominance of widowed and highly dependent very old women.” The Administration for Community Living, a division of the US Department of Health and Human Services, paints an equally vivid picture in its 2023 Profile of Older Americans: in 2022, people aged 65 and older represented 17.3 percent of the population—a number expected to grow to 22 percent by 2040—while the median income of older people was $29,740 in 2022.

Affordability and quality of life must go hand in hand. Sensitivity to the location of housing options, for example, would benefit millions of older adults in the coming years. “Many senior living and care options have made it necessary for older people to move away from their neighborhoods. Land and development costs, zoning, and other barriers have made it difficult to create good senior living within existing communities. A large portion of today’s seniors would prefer to live in intergenerational communities near or within their own neighborhoods but in a more supportive living environment,” says Perkins Eastman Chair Brad Perkins. “As a result, we have seen a slow but steady increase in senior developments within cities and established communities, which create virtual intergenerational communities.”

Children Laughing, Dogs Barking

How does intergenerational living help the forgotten older adults in the middle, those who can neither afford luxury senior living nor qualify for Medicaid? “Intergenerational living in senior environments helps combat social isolation and shifts perceptions of aging,” says Principal JinHwa Paradowicz, who co-led a 2024 task force on intergenerational living that surveyed 490 people, including residents and family members, designers, operators, and owners. According to the survey, which was a joint effort of SAGE, AIA Design for Aging Knowledge Community, and The Center for Health Design, 95 percent of respondents believe intergenerational living should be a priority in senior housing. “Unlike age-segregated communities, this model enables seniors to age within a diverse community, offering more affordable options for them,” Paradowicz says.

Intergenerational living developments accommodate older adults and younger people to support and strengthen relationships across generations. For example, Vincentian Schenley Gardens, a Perkins Eastman project in Pittsburgh, PA, is an intergenerational community with student apartments incorporated into the design alongside assisted living apartments for older adults. Students pay below market-rate rent in exchange for providing services such as leading exercise or cooking classes or serving meals to older residents within the community. Schenley Gardens also includes childcare, so older adults can interact with children on a programmed basis—such as reading books to them—and hear peals of laughter and experience other spontaneous joys in return. Senior care can incorporate intergenerational living in an integrated model, such as Vincentian does, or it can operate in a dedicated tower within a larger multigenerational setting. This enables the operator to provide the necessary services, including meals, health checks, and fitness and care specific to older adults.

When intergenerational living is integrated into mixed-use developments designed with safe and accessible connectivity, seniors have access to a variety of culinary and cultural experiences, and other amenities, without loading the cost for those activities onto their monthly services. Choice in Aging, in partnership with Satellite Affordable Housing Associates, commissioned Perkins Eastman to create a multigenerational community on its campus in Pleasant Hill, CA. This empathetic model aims to welcome people, regardless of age, gender, or socioeconomic status, with a preschool program, adult guest care, affordable housing, and other programming, all in a less costly environment.

“In India, Thailand, Singapore, and other countries where intergenerational living is the traditional lifestyle, we are beginning to see the development of high-quality, intergenerational communities with senior living and care being developed in conjunction with housing for all other age groups,” Perkins says.

Adaptable by Design

With the exception of assisted living offerings, often termed “high care services” in the international market, independent senior living units are typically owned, unlike in the United States, where renting is more common. The success of independent living solutions for middle- and lower-income seniors lies in the economy of scale and the design of smaller, more compact units. This market typically sees one- and two-bedroom units ranging from 460 to 800 square feet. A third scenario is a one-bedroom unit with a den, which provides an economical alternative for a second, short-term sleeping arrangement.

In fact, the most effective affordable senior living solutions prioritize adaptability, allowing residents to remain in their homes for as long as possible, unless they experience severe cognitive or mobility challenges. Compact units with open floor plans offer flexibility for personalization and increase opportunities for natural light and airflow; such units are particularly beneficial in hot, humid climates, where they can improve indoor environmental quality and overall comfort. Cross ventilation via large, operable windows is an effective passive design strategy, decreasing reliance on mechanical ventilation while also reducing the need for artificial lighting.

Spaces for shared amenities are expensive to operate and directly impact the monthly costs to the resident. Designing flexible spaces, with the appropriate lighting, acoustics, and finishes, can serve multiple interests and programs and remain in use throughout the day. A combination of indoor and
sheltered outdoor amenity spaces provides residents with additional benefits: exposure to fresh air and sunlight.

Sustainable Wellness

Investing in a variety of affordable and sustainable wellness programs while leveraging economies of scale can reduce the cost per resident. Proactive preventative care, for example, supports a healthy lifestyle and reduces the risk of costly medical interventions in the future. Similarly, volunteer programs in nonessential services such as gardening, library management, or event planning can help promote an active lifestyle and a sense of purpose and community while reducing labor costs.

Opportunities to support senior wellness can be leveraged through both design and operational strategies. For example, affordable senior housing developments typically face site constraints, limiting opportunities to incorporate outdoor amenities that promote wellness. In such cases, a podium roof can serve as a car-free outdoor area. Roof gardens offer safe and easy access to green spaces and expansive views of the surroundings, particularly in urban settings. Balconies provide another opportunity to connect residents to fresh air and views. With safe edge conditions and seamless indoor-outdoor transitions, they offer immediate access to an exterior space. Residents also gain the benefits of morning sunlight, when the rays are not too hot, particularly in tropical climates, with proper building and balcony orientation.

Simple sustainable strategies can also offset operating costs: rainwater for non-potable uses, solar heat collection, and recycled greywater for drip irrigation. Durable materials for the architectural shell and core appropriate to the local climate can minimize maintenance and repair costs over time. Shared transportation can help lower costs for residents and reduce the community’s carbon footprint.

The modular, Phius-certified La Mora Senior Apartments, a project designed by Perkins Eastman, is an example. This Passive House development with 60 affordable apartments in Yonkers, NY, is oriented to provide residents with abundant natural light, and it includes units for the hearing impaired, a multipurpose community room, a landscaped courtyard, and a roof deck.

Designing sustainable and flexible solutions empowers older adults to thrive in their later years within affordable, comfortable, and stimulating environments. N