Changes and Trends in Senior Living: The Baby Boomer Generation

by William Burr

The baby boomers brought change from the very moment they appeared on the scene. Every segment of our society was affected by their intense desire to accomplish and succeed. When the census was taken in 2010, the oldest had not even turned 65. Since then, about 10,000 a day have crossed that age threshold, and by 2030, all boomers will be at least age 65. Success, mobility, and a desire to have it all were signature characteristics of their generation. When they saw something in their environment that didn’t please them, they demanded change. One of the most important innovations the baby boomers made was what they did when they entered the last third of their lives. That’s when they embraced retirement with the same needs and determination that had defined them for decades.

The retirement home sector felt the full impact of the shift in the Baby Boomer’s lives and began to adapt to their needs. But there was a great deal that needed to be done to win over this restless population.

The Way It Was Twenty Years Ago

Twenty years ago, and before the baby boomers expressed their needs, a senior community was often a building filled with small apartments with washers and driers down the hall and one common dining room featuring the same meal for all. Choice of meals was limited to dietary necessity only. Socialization opportunities were limited to meal times and structured social gatherings. Personal care from the staff was given when available. Scheduled transportation to the mall or supermarket was by a small bus with minimal comfort.

Over the years, the cost structure of entering a senior community with independent living, assisted living, and nursing care facilities has evolved. Most involve placing a large sum of money upon entering the community that is entirely non-refundable to partially refundable along with paying a monthly fee.

Most residents did the best they could with what they had. One thing was fairly constant: they didn’t want to be there and were unhappy and displeased with what they were confronting.

Senior Life Today

To prepare for this next generation of future residents, senior living providers knew changes needed to be made and began creating communities. That change is ongoing, and it has been constant, with new ideas appearing every day. Nothing looks as it did 20 years ago. The most obvious change was the realization that the resident was a different kind of person than in the past. Baby boomers wanted more. They wanted to enjoy every day. They wanted long and productive lives. They sought new programs, many different hobbies, and new learning experiences. Today’s successful senior communities listened and adapted.

Liberty Senior Living is an excellent example of a company embracing change and providing a full continuum of services in luxurious communities built in some of the most desirable locations in the Southeast. They operate communities offering choices of independent living, assisted living, memory care, as well as skilled nursing.

Each of their 18 communities (and growing) offers different options using a new way of thinking about meeting a resident’s desires. A prospective resident has a wide variety of communities to fit their expectations. Life choice alternatives are a key to Liberty’s success.

Appealing to the needs of baby boomers, Liberty stresses whole-person wellness, life enrichment, and distinctive dining.

Whole-person wellness is a core value. Each resident is encouraged to participate in activities that keep and even improve their physical fitness through yoga, tai chi, water aerobics, and even line dancing.

Life enrichment is another core value. It encourages socialization, which is essential to a person’s sense of well-being. To this end, many communities have gyms, spas, saltwater pools, hot tubs, public living rooms, libraries, game rooms, and even art studios.

Then there is dining, an integral part to most residents. The one-meal-for-all approach is a thing of the past. Liberty found that today’s residents want culinary choices for themselves and their guests. Many communities offer the option of casual dining for a quick bite, pubs for drinks and small plates, and formal dining rooms that present a fine eating experience provided by chefs, not just cooks. Since many residents still drive their cars, they will find ample parking options, with many communities offering valet parking, with charging stations finding their way onto campuses as well. There are still transportation options that can easily take residents to a variety of shops and stores, restaurants, medical offices, and local entertainment venues.

Staffing is considerably more diversified than in the past. Senior communities are finding employees who are better prepared than before, as many colleges and universities are beginning to offer courses focusing on gerontology and hospitality. This need is driving the expansion of study.

Fortunately, many good and well-trained people remained at the senior communities during the COVID-19 epidemic. At Liberty Senior Living, the staff fully understood that the residents were the first priority and helped deliver meals to residents’ apartments and facilitated residents with communicating with family and loved ones using Facetime.

Liberty views its financial model as a very attractive option to today’s seniors. The rental model allows residents to enter one of the communities without having to pay a large entrance fee and tie up a large portion of their assets. Most importantly, a rental program provides great flexibility to the resident in a world that is becoming increasingly smaller with technological advances. One crucial aspect a prospective resident should not lose sight of is that moving to a senior living community will simplify their lives. The cost savings are often more significant than they imagine.

Expectations and Trends for the Future

Some trends to anticipate may seem “Orwellian” in their concept, but they are worth considering. In the not-too-distant future, resident rooms might be connected to devices that will alert staff if there is no movement within. Medical records will almost certainly be centralized for instant response by doctors on call. Specialized communities will dominate. In fact, niche communities are already appearing. A Senior Zen community is on the books in California, and there are LGBTQ communities in several states.

The “2030 problem” involves the ongoing challenge of assuring that sufficient resources and effective service systems are available in 20 years when the elderly population is twice what it is today. Much of this growth will be prompted by the aging of the remaining baby boomers, who in 2030 will be aged 66 to 84 (the “young old”) and will number 61 million people. In addition, for those born prior to 1946, the “oldest old,” will number 9 million people in 2030. Before long, the millennials will also arrive on the scene, the baby boomer’s children, an even larger generation than their parents. The millennial population is projected to peak in 2033, at 74.9 million, when the oldest millennial is at least 52 years of age.

These facts make it evident that the senior living communities will be continually challenged to meet the demands and expectations of our growing aging population. If the response to the baby boomer challenge so far is any indication, the senior communities will greet it head on and with more success than ever before.