Retirement communities are often the right choice for seniors who are ready to downsize after selling a family home. Typically designed with safety and convenience in mind, retirement communities allow older adults to live independently while offering amenities (such as swimming pools, fitness centers, and golf courses) that encourage residents to remain active. Property managers maintain the grounds and keep the exterior of dwelling units in good repair, allowing unit owners to focus on leisure activities.
Since retirement communities are usually age-restricted, they tend to offer a quiet and peaceful living environment while creating opportunities to socialize with other seniors. Most retirement communities encourage social interaction by scheduling group activities, creating an environment that allows residents to make new friends.
While retirement communities offer housing options that are tailored for older adults, they may not be the right choice for every senior. People who are used to the bustle of an urban environment might be discomforted by the quiet, relaxed environment that most retirement communities try to achieve. Seniors who enjoy the company of young people might want a greater variety of companionship than they will find in an age-restricted community.
Seattle and other Washington communities are making it possible for seniors to enjoy a different kind of retirement housing. While no housing model is right for every older adult, affordable intergenerational housing might be an attractive choice for many.
The Seattle Model
Seattle is among a growing number of communities that have turned to intergenerational housing to grow the senior housing market. In some cases, housing developments that were designed for older adults have opened the doors to younger residents. In others, apartment buildings have been designed to accommodate a mix of generations, including units that are accessible to people with disabilities.
A senior living complex in Seattle decided to add a new building to its campus. The ninety new apartments will provide affordable housing to people of all ages. Residents across the campus will be encouraged to socialize and to support each other.
In a related experiment, Seattle families came together to purchase a five-story apartment building in the city’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. They created an “intergenerational sustainable community” with a cohousing plan that includes sharing meals and pitching in to maintain the property. Members of the community range from seniors to children living with parents.
The Bridge Meadows Model
Bridge Meadows takes a different approach to intergenerational housing. The non-profit organization develops affordable housing to support two groups: low-income seniors and low-income families who have adopted children in foster care.
Bridge Meadows operates three multigenerational communities in Washington. It plans to build a fourth housing community in Tacoma. The community will include apartments for 55-plus residents and townhomes for families with adopted children.
The executive director of Bridge Meadows explains that its model is designed to attract older people who are looking to “live with meaning and purpose.” A resident of its North Portland community exemplifies that goal. Susan Smith, a retired microbiologist and social worker, enjoys teaching seniors and former foster children who attend her weekly art class for community residents.
Regardless of the approach, intergenerational housing developments help communities respond to a growing shortage of affordable senior housing. Many different models of senior housing, including traditional retirement communities and intergenerational developments, will be needed to meet that shortage in the coming decades.