Senior Living Design to Grow Market Appeal

 

How to implement senior living industry trends into design

At Community Living Solutions, we’ve been incorporating the latest senior living design trends into our clients’ projects to help boost their facilities’ appeal to prospective residents and their families. In addition to using national trend research, we conduct a thorough market analysis as part of our master planning initiatives to ensure we are providing the right solutions for the right facility.

This senior housing market analysis takes into account socio-demographics, short- and long-range population projections, a competitor analysis and much more. You can read about our market analyses in more detail in our blog, “Taking Your Senior Living Facility from Concept to Completion.”

What we’ve learned through market analyses

After conducting numerous market assessments, we’ve found many similarities that allow us to apply design concepts with confidence for senior living communities, including the following solutions:

• Prospective residents look to their own existing lifestyles in forming opinions about senior living design and function. In short, rural and metro markets differ in dynamics and preferences.
• Residents in smaller markets desire more flexibility.
• Seniors and their families prefer campuses that offer the full continuum of living options in one place.
• The market places significant importance on memory care services.
• Senior living facilities that offer community services and amenities are highly successful.
• Nursing home design trends favor privacy and a homelike appeal.
• In the next 10 to 15 years, baby boomers will seek more “luxury” living than their parents. Read more in “Baby Boomers Driving Senior Living Trends.”
• Future residents and facility leaders share concern about the ability to pay for long-term care.
• Prospective residents and their families turn to marketing materials from such organizations as AARP® and internet directories to help them choose a senior living facility.
• Internet search is widely used in finding and choosing facilities. Senior living communities need a professional website that is search engine optimized and contains valuable information to help future residents make choices.

How to match senior living design with consumer preferences

Consumer preferences also have marketplace trends and we incorporate them into our senior living design, including:

• A sense of community and small, comfortable gathering spaces, including theaters, pubs, cafes and coffee shops
• Outdoor gathering spaces
• Incorporating the outdoors in the design to utilized natural lighting
• A home-like atmosphere in both private and community living spaces
• Flexibility to offer a continuum of care as needs change

Iowa Certificate of Need Process

A market needs analysis may identify demand for additional nursing home beds at your facility. If you choose to capitalize on this opportunity, senior living communities in Iowa must obtain a Certificate of Need. Community Living Solutions has experience with the Iowa Certificate of Need process, and we are happy to help our clients navigate it toward a successful award.

 Get more on how senior living design boosts market appeal

If you’d like to learn more on how conducting a market analysis leads to senior living design that appeals to your market, contact Vice President of Design and CLS Partner Duane Helwig at (920) 969-9344. You can also learn more and see before and after designs by attending a presentation Duane is co-presenting with Patricia McCullough of Health Planning and Management Resources at the LeadingAge Iowa 2017 Spring Conference.