CREJ

Page 20 — Health Care Properties Quarterly — July 2018 www.crej.com Senior Housing & Care Designing a NEWGENERATION of Senior Environments Lantz-Boggio Architects is a national award winning Architecture and Interior Design firm , specializing in the design of Senior Living and Care Environments . 303-773-0436 | lantz-boggio.com T his marks my last Colorado Real Estate Journal article on behalf of my wonderful com- pany, Vivage Senior Living. Why? Like 4 million other baby boomers annually, I am retir- ing this year after 42 years of full- time employment. The retiree surge, which has been long expected, began when the first of 76 million baby boomers – whose birth years span 1946 to 1964 – turned 65 in 2011. The number of U.S. (and even international) retirees flooding into rediscovered leisure and renewed focus on “me” is staggering, provid- ing limitless opportunities for senior housing organizations and real estate developers.While I have never quite thought of myself as a “typical senior,” my story is surprisingly similar to hundreds of other boomers I have met: • Good health, with a couple mild chronic conditions, fostering a desire to optimize health and wellness in my retirement years. Studies show that boomer seniors are living longer but are not necessarily healthier. A senior community that offers robust well- ness, fitness, healthy nutrition and “active adult” options is necessary to peak my interest. • Engaged with my intergenera- tional family needs, including an elder mother in memory care assisted living, great professional children, five ador- able grandchildren and extended fam- ily members, who are also getting up there in years. My retirement plan includes great fam- ily involvement and space to entertain them. More boom- ers, like me, are divorced than previous generations, making kids and grandchildren a very important part of our lifestyle choices. • A legacy of a professional career in senior health care and housing. I already have been selected to be on a local senior advisory board in my town, and plan to stay very engaged in intellectual growth, advocacy and volunteerism. The boomer generation in general is highly educated and the fastest growing online demographic. Boomer seniors rely on technol- ogy and intellectual stimulation on their latest blogs, connecting with friends and family on social media, and staying on top of countless news channels. • Decent savings and financial inde- pendence, paired with a strong desire to see my hard-earned retirement dol- lars used wisely in selecting the right personal housing and health care options – back to that “me” mentality. While we have all seen the articles about boomers who have not saved enough for retirement, boomers over- all are wealthier than previous gen- erations. Thousands of articles have been written about the “senior tsunami” and “boomer generation.”The Colora- do senior housing real estate market has done a great job preparing for the anticipated volume of new senior resi- dents coming.While there are com- monalities in this influential group of seniors, the greatest truth lies in the enormous impact that boomers are now making on personal lifestyle choices. Developers and operators are quickly learning how demanding this generation is in selecting housing for their parents as a family consumer. This boomer influence will triple as we select housing and health care choices for ourselves. Studies show that the boomer values independence and privacy, but also values the social experience of living in community with others. Is your property ready for us? ▲ The retirees are coming: Is your community ready? Nancy Schwalm Chief business development officer, Vivage Senior Living Developers and operators are quickly learning how demanding this generation is in selecting housing for their parents as a family consumer. E N G I N E E R I N G PAT I E N T C A R E TM OU R S E R V I C E S HEALTHCARE ENGINEERING MECHANICAL ENGINEERING ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY SERVICES ENERGY SERVICES LIGHTING DESIGN FIRE PROTECTION COMMISSIONING SERVICES MASTER PLANNING INFRASTRUCTURE ASSESSMENTS 6143 South Willow Dr, STE 405 Englewood, CO 80111 (720) 200-5955 www.specializedeng.com Ryan Arni, PE Associate Principal, Electrical Josh Weigand Associate Principal, Mechanical SERVING COLORADO FOR OVER 20 YEARS INNOVATIVE. CLIENT FOCUSED. RESULTS DRIVEN.