Page 16
— Health Care Properties Quarterly — June 2016
Jami Mohlenkamp
I was glad to be part of the confer-
ence panel looking at trends in design
for independent living and assisted
living. Construction has been robust
in the recent past and there are still
a number
of projects
coming
into design.
Many of
the projects
have been
market rate
and we are
seeing an
increase in
affordable
options.
Construc-
tion costs
continue
to rise in
our region and are further affected
by factors such as noncombustible
construction and increased building
systems and envelope energy code
requirements.
Looking at amenities, OZ has been
focusing on designing spaces that
encourage the family to stay longer.
Family is one of the greatest ameni-
ties we have. We are creating rooms
for younger visitors, including teenag-
ers and children, like media lounges,
video game rooms and playrooms.
We’ve also integrated landscaping
that creates visual interest and can be
used by children to play on. The addi-
tion of a business center allows adult
children the opportunity to catch up
on work while taking a break from
visiting with a loved one. Using the
windows in the resident room, we
have been looking at designs that
maximize natural light and frame
views to natural elements and land-
scape outside. Lastly, community is
another integral amenity. Selecting
sites with the opportunity for strong
neighbor connectivity is critical. The
project must also be designed to facili-
tate circulation into and off of the site
for residents and visitors.
We are focused on designing spaces
that enhance the resident and visitor
experience, create strong connections
to the community and keep families
visiting longer.
Chad Holzinger
My remarks at the conference were
directed to market-rate, age-qualified
rental communities. A cultural shift
has occurred, which is transform-
ing the way we design age-qualified
apartments. Communities are being
planned and constructed with an
increased emphasis on physical
health, social health and an emphasis
on proximity to a walkable neighbor-
hood with restaurants, transit and
culture. The most successful new
developments take these factors into
careful consideration, recognizing
that success in these areas results
in an enduring community that will
enjoy low vacancy and low turnover.
The way a building engages a ten-
ant can make a fundamental impact
on health. Not simply a fitness center,
but instead, the way the whole build-
ing encourages individuals to move
through
it. It is
important
to design
corridors
with day-
light, that
express
joy and
aren’t dark
or smelly.
Stairs with
natural
light with
direct con-
nection to
the resident
ameni-
ties, leasing office and mail are great
design techniques that invite activity,
instead of discourage it. The proces-
sion from the parking to the building
also is an opportunity for healthful
design – utilization of landscaping,
gardening (food and flowers), as well
as careful placement of seating areas
and shade invite residents to be in
a delightful environment instead of
isolated in their home. Last, to the
extent possible, placing communi-
ties in vibrant neighborhoods with
easy access to shops, transit and
workplace, also can contribute to the
health and durability of a community.
Successful implementation of
these ideas also makes an enormous
impact on the social health of a com-
munity. When the built environment
welcomes human interaction, rela-
tionships within the building can be
easily made and residents begin to
establish a human network that cares
for the property and one another.
Dennis Boggio
My segment of the conference
focused on new models of skilled
nursing. For the first time since the
nursing home construction boom that
occurred
after
Congress
passed the
Medicare/
Medicaid
Act in the
1960s,
there is
a high
demand for
new con-
struction
and repo-
sitioning
of nursing
facilities,
and there is
a new focus
on the physical environment. There
are a few reasons for this recent
flurry of activity.
1. The average nursing home in
America is over 45 years old and
most of these older facilities are obso-
lete with regard to the values and
expectations of newer generations of
seniors.
2. Debt and equity to fund new
projects is available through real
estate investment trusts, commercial
banks, U.S. Department of Housing
and Urban Development and private
equity investors.
3. Demographic trends have result-
ed in growth of the short-term reha-
bilitation population. This Medicare
reimbursed component is the eco-
nomic engine that establishes feasibil-
ity for new projects and new models.
“Build it and they will come” is
an appropriate axiom for today’s
new nursing facilities but only if you
build to satisfy ideals that seniors
and families have for their living and
care environment. The older nursing
home supply generally includes two
beds per room with shared baths and
a total gross building area of less than
300 square feet per bed. Responsive
new nursing facilities contain approx-
imately 725 gross sf per bed in single-
occupancy hotel-type suites with pri-
vate baths and showers and an over-
all noninstitutional persona. Beyond
the “resident” suites, the amenity
spaces contain a variety of options
that are designed to invite family and
friends while relating to changes in
preferences for daily activities that
have occurred as the generations
evolved. Theaters, bistros, grab-and-
go food options, outdoor kitchen and
dining experiences as well as a vari-
ety of outdoor spaces relate to a non-
institutional goal for both image and
living opportunities. These outdoor
spaces also are consistent with con-
cepts for a healing environment.
In this new era of nursing home
construction, the new focus on a
physical environment that promotes
healing, feelings of home along with
current expectations for activities
and family participation is changing
the paradigm for nursing facilities in
America.
Yong Cho
At the Colorado Real Estate
Journal senior housing conference,
I focused my comments on age-
restricted rental housing, an exciting
new option that that offers great
homes and community features
attractive to active adults, typically
age 55 and older. The decision comes
from a thoughtful process and evalu-
ation of
current
and future
needs and
desired life-
style. The
decision
comes from
priorities:
a person
may be an
empty nest-
er; someone
who no lon-
ger wishes
to own
a home
with maintenance and repair wor-
ries; a couple may no longer have a
need for a larger home and choose to
pare down responsibilities to free up
energy and time for activities that
they enjoy.
The following considerations are
of importance when designing age-
restricted housing:
1. Location: Residents want to be
engaged and lead a full life with a
longer-term, sustainable solution
to meet their needs, now and in the
future. The location should provide
access to health, transportation, rec-
reation, arts/entertainment and other
important public amenities.
2. Community: The sense of vitality
and authenticity of a community that
enables deep, meaningful connections
is important. The community should
be designed with a culture of mutual
and self-direction and governance
in mind. The residents want greater
control and sense of direction of the
community and its environment –
having diverse, motivated, engaged
energetic fellow residents who are
oriented toward sharing and grow-
ing. To that end, type, quantity, qual-
ity and diversity of amenities should
be carefully designed to enable and
support residents’ goals and needs.
3. Architectural design: All aspects
of the building design – from the
exterior look and feel to the common
spaces and individual rooms – should
resonate with residents. The build-
ing vibe should reflect the energy,
personality and lifestyle of the resi-
dents. The design needs to meet spe-
cific, tangible requirements and also
deliver “intangible” needs. Intangible
qualities include a nurturing and
dynamic environment that fosters a
strong sense of community and also
works as a safe, private homestead.
s
“The recent Senior Housing and Care Conference and Expo sponsored
by the Colorado Real Estate Journal featured several architects who
specialize in senior housing and care facilities. As one of those architects,
would you share a few highlights from your remarks at the conference?”
Question of the Month
Please contact Pyms Capital Resources or The Highland Group if you would like to participate in the Senior Housing & Care Question, or if you have a question that you would like to see addressed.
Jami Mohlenkamp
Principal, OZ Architecture
Chad Holzinger
Principal, Shop Works
Architecture
Dennis Boggio
Principal, Lantz-Boggio
Architects
Yong Cho
Principal, Studio Completiva
April’s Senior
Housing and
Care Conference
was a big hit,
with around 400
registrants. For
those of you who
missed it, these
architects were
gracious enough
to share some
highlights. Be
sure to come next
year!
MODERATOR COMMENTS
Elisabeth
Borden
Moderator,
The Highland
Group Inc.
Senior Housing & Care
ʻBuild it and
they will comeʼ
is an appropriate
axiom for today’s
new nursing
facilities but
only if you
build to satisfy
ideals that seniors
and families
have for their
living and care
environment.
