There are a lot of Baby Boomers, and they are getting older, so it’s no wonder that the need for more senior care and senior living facilities has increased significantly over the last decade. Today, more and more owners of multifamily properties are considering the building or purchasing a senior facility to the increasing housing demands of a retired population. If you are a developer or investor, here are a few of the trends you should know about so you can build or buy a cost-effective and beneficial facility.

1. Improve Resident Privacy

Nursing homes are one of the most maligned types of housing in the United States. Residents are assigned a small room, and sometimes have to share with another resident. Residents who must share their assigned living space often have to sacrifice their dignity, which can take a heavy toll on the individual needing care.

This is why many new senior care facilities today are adopting designs that provide residents with their own rooms, usually with a private bathroom that includes a sink, toilet, and tub.  It makes it so they can have the privacy to spend time with visiting family members, and hold on to some autonomy as they get older.

2. Create a Space That Feels Like Home

Moving into a senior care facility is often a difficult transition for both residents and their families. But creating a facility that feels more like home can help ease the discomfort of a difficult transition. Owners of senior care properties should consider improvements that provide individual rooms with the feeling of a “small house.”

This means including micro rooms in a resident’s room, like a small living and dining area, and a private bathroom. Something similar to an extended stay hotel room or suite.

3. Provide Hospitality Perks

Some senior care facilities have a strong “institutional” design, making them feel more like a hospital or prison than a residence that feels like home. Newer nursing homes are taking a page from the hotel and hospitality industry and adding the same perks you might find on vacation, like community pools, concierge services, improved dining options, spaces for activities and crafts (such as a photography studio, woodshop, or exercise center) and higher quality construction materials so floors and walls look nice and feel like a home.

4. Implement Technology

We don’t typically think of seniors as being tech-savvy, but they commonly use smartphones, send emails, and maintain social media profiles. Technology can have a significant impact on seniors’ quality of life in the following ways:

• Provide health monitoring services
• Notify staff of a fall or injury
• Provide motion detectors for improved lighting and safety
• Monitoring vital signs
• Manage medications
• Stay in touch with friends and family

Technology can also help support sustainability and “green” living. A facility that includes Wi-Fi connectivity, energy savings through “green” building improvements, and technology benefits in common living areas can help cut operational costs, while also improving residents’ satisfaction and health.

If you are interested in opening, purchasing, remodeling, or improving a senior care facility, consider how small additions and even big changes can make a considerable difference. Talk to Bonneville Multifamily Capital today to find out more about how to obtain funding for these types of projects.