Baby boomers started turning 65 in 2011 and studies are finding that less than half of those that are now retirement age are actually leaving the workforce. Many are choosing to work part-time, others are starting their own businesses with the expertise they've gained in their field but the bottom line seems to be that they are not as ready to retire today as their parents were at 65.
Who are today's seniors? The baby boomers are a generation of adults that have led an active lifestyle and are showing no signs of slowing down. When they do retire, the golfers look forward to spending more time on the course, those that spent their vacation time exploring the world will be traveling even more and a big area of influence will be in the look of retirement communities. Seniors of today are staying in their homes longer and what that means for retirement communities is that they'll need to be in tune with the changing lifestyles and expectations of this new generation of seniors. Boomers are more likely to consider relocating to an active lifestyle community rather than a senior's community, or to attend an event at an active lifestyle centre over a seniors centre.
Seniors are engaged in lifelong learning. The Tapestry community at UBC in Vancouver BC immediately comes to mind when I think of how traditional retirement is changing. When they chose the Vancouver location, just a short walk from the UBC campus, they definitely had the quest for lifelong learning in mind. Last time I looked in on the community, more than 10 percent were attending classes on campus; even more than that were actively participating in lectures and seminars regularly held in the Tapestry building lecture hall. What a brilliant way of redefining the stereotypical retirement community.
Seniors are also tech savvy. Studies focusing on trends in seniors and technology show steady increases in the 65+ age group with their use of not only PCs but also tablets, book readers and smartphones; and on the topic of smart phones, seniors are even jumping on the texting bandwagon!
The Tapestry Community at Village Gate West in Toronto gets everyone involved in brain fitness in computer labs, informative computer classes and the Creative Arts Centre. If golfers can't get to the course, they can enjoy a high definition Golf Simulator in the Virtual Golf Centre. Like at the Vancouver community, the founders of Tapestry retirement living have considered the skills, interests and changing demands of the upcoming generation of retirees.
One of the keys to the success of future independent living and assisted living seniors' communities will be their ability to adapt to the lifestyles of today's seniors. Residents won't want to be restricted to dinner at the same time each evening but have the flexibility to be out on the town all day and come home when they're ready. They will want the option to be social and the flexibility to pursue leisure choices of their own. They'll want the freedom to make choices, such freedom was a normal part of life while growing up and while raising families; in retirement they'll expect that choices will also be a standard of everyday life.
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