Affordable Senior Apartments debut in Riverside

Over one-half million Americans join the senior segment every year. 35 million Americans are 65 or older and that number is expected to double in the next 25 years. This expanding market segment has economic strength. Seniors currently control 65% of the wealth in the United States. People are living longer and staying active. The concepts of senior living activities in the year 2010 are very different from what they were even a few years back. Para-sailing, scuba diving and skydiving are commonly provided group activities. The introduction of ‘Turbo Scooters’ with increased horsepower has revolutionized, and terrorized, senior communities. Pubs are a popular senior campus amenity. One facility stopped serving alcohol due to the owner’s religious beliefs and within six month half of the residents had moved to another campus. Pet friendly senior communities are now the norm. Residents can own a dog 25 lbs or less and there are on-site dog grooming facilities and ‘Bark Parks’ provided. The pet therapy approach was originally based upon the ‘house dog’ concept, where each facility had a rescue dog that lived on-site and visited the residences.

Wii Bowling leagues, on-site Activities Directors, Wellness Centers for hydro-therapy/massages/acupuncture, Beauty Salons, Internet Cafes, a Theater with an old fashion popcorn machine to generate the sounds and smells associated with the movies and meandering walking trails are all part of the ‘campus’ experience.

The housing and care for this growing market segment has generated many diverse solutions. The desire to create a place where residents want to live, but also a place where family and friends want to go for visits is the goal. Communities focusing on the four components of wellness (i.e. physical health, brainpower, social connections and spirituality) are leading the way.

The ‘Life Long Cruise’ concept for age in place communities is a commonly heard phrase. Oceanic Retirement Communities of America (ORCA) has made it a literal reality. The program allows seniors to own a condo on a private residential cruise ship that provides both independent and assisted living accommodations.

The ‘Green House Project’, developed by Dr. William Thomas, provides a single-family home for seven to ten seniors, who live and eat together with the assistance of clinical support. Each resident of the ‘family’ has their own bedroom and bathroom surrounding a centralized community living area.

‘Sustainable’ architectural design is typically implemented. ‘Green Guide for Health Care’ and ‘LEED for Health Care’ both regulate and define sustainable program options. The implementation of Living Walls (vegetation screens), interior courtyards, natural light (provided through glazing and solar tubes), views to nature and indoor air quality achieves health benefits such as reduced reliance on medication, less mental and physical stress and improved staff recruitment and retention.

In addition, there is Meals-on-Wheels, the National Senior Corps, Home Instead, Hope Through Housing Foundation and countless other organizations serving this growing population.

WHA’s latest contribution to innovative senior housing was demonstrated at the Grand Opening of Mission Village Senior Apartments, on historic Mission Boulevard in the County of Riverside. This much needed three-story on-grade urban affordable housing project provides (102) one and two bedroom units for senior couples and singles. The project was orchestrated in large part by Tony Mize, President of Workforce Homebuilders. The diverse group gathered by the front door for the Grand Opening of this ‘age restricted’ community included a collection of individuals, bankers, civic groups, firms, local city officials, economic redevelopment commitments, non-profit organizations and community support.

The project’s ‘Mission’ style of architecture incorporated traditional Spanish design elements such as sloping tile roofs (tejas), arched corridors, trowel finished facades (paleta) and terraced towers (campanile).

The motivation was to provide a quality to the lives of those who had reached a certain age and could no longer provide it for themselves. One future resident said he was at first apprehensive to go inside and inquire about monthly rates. He thought it was an up- scale hotel resort. He was pleasantly surprised to discover the project’s affordability.

“We shape our buildings”, Winston Churchill once said. “Thereafter, they shape us”.