Senior Portrait

When it Comes to Housing, Boomers Picture Themselves Staying Put.

By Liz Potasek

Illustration by Chris McAllister

With all respect to the greatest generation, baby boomers have never wanted to live like their parents.

When they were young, they grew out their hair and listened to loud music. They’ve been on the cutting edge of rapid changes in technology, family structure and work environments. Now they’re an active generation of grandparents and emerging retirees, and they don’t plan to go gently into that good night. Don’t call them seniors, and don’t plan on shipping them off to a retirement community.

Instead, many baby boomers—who will begin earning their official status as senior citizens in 2011—plan to stay right where they are. Their decisions will transform the concept and cost of senior housing.

The trend to grow old at home has already begun with recent retirees, and it’s expected to grow as the baby boomers age. According to the Aging in Place Initiative, fewer than 5 percent of the 65 and over population reside in nursing homes. Instead, many Americans prefer to “age in place” within their own neighborhoods and communities.

“People are happier when they stay in their own home,” said Annette Sandler, the director of aging and disabilities services at the Jewish Family and Children’s Services of Minneapolis and a co-chair of the Vital Aging Network.

An aging population of baby boomers will create a huge population shift in Minnesota. According to the Minnesota Board on Aging, the population over age 65 is expected to grow 40 percent by 2020.

“The programs and resources that have been offered in the past for aging aren’t going to be workable when we have double the number of seniors,” said LaRhae Knatterud, director of aging transformations for the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS).

Some baby boomers are starting to get proactive.When Lynne and Dave Wagner, both age 56, began designing their new home in Waconia several years ago, they wanted to accommodate their current lifestyle while planning for future needs. When it Comes to Housing, Boomers Picture Themselves Staying Put.

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“We built this home with the idea that ‘this is our last move’ in mind."
- Lynne Wagner

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On the surface, their home seems similar to others in their neighborhood, but the difference is in the details.

There are no transition points in the flooring, no steps up to the front door, and no barriers from the bathroom floor to the shower. All doorways are at least 36 inches wide, and the stairway linking the upstairs to the downstairs has a tread that is safer and wide enough for a wheel chair lift, should they ever need it.

Switches are lower and electrical outlets are higher, so they can be reached from a sitting position. The couple also chose windows, switches, door knobs and cabinet pulls that are easy to use.

Advances in technology are also making it easier for seniors to age at home. Home healthcare companies can monitor patients remotely using devices that report on vital signs and wireless sensor networks that can detect unusual movements or hard falls, says Diane Sprague, director of the Lifetime Home Project.

In September, DHS awarded $2.4 million in grants to community organizations to help seniors live independently in their own homes. The state has also passed legislation establishing a program for “communities for a lifetime,” with the intent of encouraging communities to provide resources for people who would like to age at home.

Senior housing is big business in Minnesota, with several developers and health care systems building new assisted living facilities each year. However, the desire to affordably age in place remains a priority.

“That’s why today’s decisions around community and neighborhood design are critical,” said Dan Frank, Initiative Foundation program manager who helps central Minnesota communities plan for future growth and stay ahead of trends. As part of the foundation’s Healthy Communities Partnership, Frank is currently working with Todd County to plan for its rapidly aging communities.

“We’ll all be seniors someday, and we’ll need easy access to shopping, healthcare and activities,” he added. “It’s cheaper to retrofit the homes that already exist.” IQ