The COVID-19 pandemic is challenging the senior housing community in numerous ways by bringing existing challenges to the forefront and highlighting new ones. The middle market is one of these. Senior Housing that provides middle market seniors with up-front and sustained affordability as well as quality healthcare is more urgent than ever. Increased layoffs, reduced home values, and an unstable stock market are increasing concerns for middle market seniors about their ability to afford senior housing. Owners, healthcare providers and investors are also navigating this difficult economic climate, even as they continue to search for ways to meet this increased housing demand.

And yet, as the virus and consequent economic downturn has served to illustrate just how urgent this housing need is, it is also creating opportunities for creative thinking and thoughtful design, leading to innovative solutions.  Some ideas to ponder for owners, investors, administrators, providers:

  • Invest in distressed and value-add communities- rehabilitate with a focus on the middle market.
  • Refurbish and/or repurpose underutilized existing buildings instead of planning for new construction.
  • Plan for smaller neighborhoods to reduce group exposure in case of a medical crisis.
  • Provide flexible indoor amenity space that can vary in size and are designed to accommodate a variety of uses.
  • Provide more outdoor amenity space options, like roof gardens, pocket gardens, walking paths, vegetable gardens, tennis courts, and putting greens.
  • Reduce centralized dining areas and expand meal plan options.
  • Specify standard finishes and details wherever possible. Avoid custom finishes except in select high-visible areas.
  • Provide tele-health and web-health options to maintain care and reduce costs.

Before the pandemic, the middle market was a growing concern. Today, it has become a critical need that is relevant to all shareholders in the senior housing community. This topic continues to be a crucial conversation for us as we continue to develop creative housing solutions for all seniors, in today’s difficult reality and for the future.

Featured image credit – ID 181360821 © Solarisys13  Dreamstime.com