|
Baby Boomers who are retiring
are the fastest growing demographic in the U.S. Proper understanding of
the lifestyles and future adaptability on what is typically a fixed income is a
specialty very few design professionals possess.
Senior housing is a
relatively new type of design concept.
The art of designing a home that has the ability to be adaptable yet not
look like it. The design must encompass
many needs for today and the future. The goal to properly designing a
senior residence is to make it look like any other home, but adaptable.
In the past many baby boomers
and other aging families have been turned off by the term “Senior Living” as it
did not represent their lifestyle. This
was made worse when the designs had more of an institutional feel than the home
we all know. Now with new technologies,
products and philosophies, the design of a senior home represents the active
lifestyles of its inhabitants.
Proper Senior Design should
include:
- Wider Doors
- Wider Hall
- Adaptable Cabinets
- Adaptable Bathrooms
- Zero clearance door thresholds
- No steps
- Blocking in walls for future
grab bars
While there are more items
that can also be taken into consideration, the items listed above will give the
home a look and feel like any other, but the owners will have the options
should the need arise.
When doing a proper Senior
Design, Robert Klob Designs interviews each client and their needs. While budgets are typically the most
important aspect to designing we also need to know things about our clients
like: How they live. How they entertain. Family dynamics. Plus many others. In end, a Senior Design home will Live with your Family, Lifestyle and Budget.
Often, we are told during the design process "I want to die in this home". RKD refuses to design homes to die in, we prefer to think our homes are designed to LIVE in.
|
