At the 2009 Silicon Valley Boomer Venture Summit & Business Plan Competition there were a few start-ups competing in the business plan competition that intended to market products/services that would help seniors age independently in their own homes. Some of the companies proposed "retrofitting" homes to make them more senior friendly while others were focused on senior friendly technologies.
The idea of making our homes more senior friendly through both architectural design improvements and aging in place technologies is nothing new and lots of companies are investing in these areas.
But what about making our cities and towns more senior friendly?
A recent AARP survey showed 85% of individuals age 50-plus that they wish to remain in their communities for as long as possible.
A special section in the Wall Street Journal's Weekend Report (September 19th, 2009) was dedicated to "Making Suburbia More Livable" for the aging population. Or, as the intro to the story stated:
(By the way, have you noticed the dramatic increase in stories dedicated to "aging" topics in the national media?)
Ken Steele is the mayor of Fayetteville, Georgia and he is working to transform his community into a "lifelong community" and suggests neighborhoods across the country need to do the same.
"Every small community has the same problem," says Mr. Steele, age 69. "We want residents to be able to age in place, to meet their needs…here, without having to move away."
The idea is to "retrofit" suburbia which involve taking a neighborhood or site within an existing town or suburb and creating a compact, walkable community—one with alternatives to single-family homes, such as condominiums or row houses. Older residents in large homes will have the option of downsizing and remaining in a community where they can access restaurants, shopping and other amenities and services on foot.
This is already underway in Lakewood, Colo. "The change is pretty dramatic," says Mike Rock, retired city manager of Lakewood who helped direct Belmar's development. "Buildings are pulled right up to the sidewalk; residential living is above the retail outlets. You don't expect to see this in a suburban setting.
"Many weekends, my wife and I don't use the car," he says. Movies, an athletic club, a coffee house and restaurants are all within walking distance. "I regularly see people who are 10 years older than me—and 30 years younger," he adds. "I like that. I like the vibrancy."
The entire Wall Street Journal article can be read here. It's a very interesting story.
The idea of making our homes more senior friendly through both architectural design improvements and aging in place technologies is nothing new and lots of companies are investing in these areas.
But what about making our cities and towns more senior friendly?
A recent AARP survey showed 85% of individuals age 50-plus that they wish to remain in their communities for as long as possible.
A special section in the Wall Street Journal's Weekend Report (September 19th, 2009) was dedicated to "Making Suburbia More Livable" for the aging population. Or, as the intro to the story stated:
The nation's sprawling suburbs may have been a good place to grow up, but they're a tough place to grow old.
(By the way, have you noticed the dramatic increase in stories dedicated to "aging" topics in the national media?)
Ken Steele is the mayor of Fayetteville, Georgia and he is working to transform his community into a "lifelong community" and suggests neighborhoods across the country need to do the same.
"Every small community has the same problem," says Mr. Steele, age 69. "We want residents to be able to age in place, to meet their needs…here, without having to move away."
The idea is to "retrofit" suburbia which involve taking a neighborhood or site within an existing town or suburb and creating a compact, walkable community—one with alternatives to single-family homes, such as condominiums or row houses. Older residents in large homes will have the option of downsizing and remaining in a community where they can access restaurants, shopping and other amenities and services on foot.
This is already underway in Lakewood, Colo. "The change is pretty dramatic," says Mike Rock, retired city manager of Lakewood who helped direct Belmar's development. "Buildings are pulled right up to the sidewalk; residential living is above the retail outlets. You don't expect to see this in a suburban setting.
"Many weekends, my wife and I don't use the car," he says. Movies, an athletic club, a coffee house and restaurants are all within walking distance. "I regularly see people who are 10 years older than me—and 30 years younger," he adds. "I like that. I like the vibrancy."
The entire Wall Street Journal article can be read here. It's a very interesting story.
Dear Business of Aging,
Although I am not a long time reader of this blog, I think I might be able to offer some good advise. As this article highlights, American society is dealing with a large amount of senior citizens who will want to remain in their communities. As I have found, my mother would like to remain in her neighborhood despite the fact that she needs extra assistance. I wasn't really sure where to turn since I have never done this before, that is - seek help for my parents since neither I or my sister have time to care for them. I have found this site: TheCaringSpace.com - it provided resources and tips for finding a whole range of types of care for people like me looking for a hand. You can talk to caregivers or other care seekers about the process and employment. It was cheap and easy, and I really think readers could benefit from it. Hope this helps!
Sincerely,
-Amanda
Posted by: Amanda | September 25, 2009 at 01:57 PM
Thanks for the info Amanda. This looks like a great resource for seniors. These companies and other senior care companies can create a free profile in our new SeniorCare Buyers Guide - spread the word.
http://www.seniorcaremarketer.com/community/
Posted by: Mark Willaman | September 27, 2009 at 02:02 PM