Longevity Living and Why it Matters
The concept of Longevity Living intentionally shifts away from the word ‘senior’ to focus on the next generation of living environments for older adults. Longevity Living is more than just a product type—it’s a vital element profoundly shaped by the physical environment.
Epidemiological studies link behavior across age groups to factors such as light, color, spatial relationships, and recognition of form. These planning nuances directly affect our quality of life as we age, including our health, spirit, sense of community, sense of control or independence, and connection to nature.
This concept emphasizes how the environment can help us live longer, healthier lives through design that supports our abilities at every stage of life. By prioritizing abilities over disabilities and lifestyle over age, Longevity Living aims to redefine senior living for the better.
A Paradigm Shift in Housing
We learned many lessons during the 2020 pandemic. Urban units were too small, and suburban housing was too isolating. Many families moved in together, underscoring the need for community as isolation created health and wellness problems associated with loneliness. Loneliness became epidemic, affecting people from all socioeconomic backgrounds. Many used the opportunity to evaluate what was meaningful and important to them. Hybrid and remote work opened more options, allowing older adults, adult children, and grandchildren to live anywhere. The importance of location started to matter, a lot.
Our values regarding housing are dynamic and evolving. The options for older adults are expanding to include accessory dwelling units (ADUs), co-housing, urban, luxury, and more. The pandemic reinforced the significance of location, and developers are responding with more diverse options. Technological advances are enhancing our sense of independence, improving access to healthcare, and increasing security through cameras and remote sensors.
New housing designs are flexible to meet evolving market demands, from tiny homes to larger units that accommodate caregivers and home offices. Additionally, construction technology is moving toward modular and prefabrication methods, and sustainability and resilience strategies are now required essential rather than optional.
Our values of home, on the other hand, remain constant. Home encompasses comfort, emotional support, memories, and connections with family and friends. Ideally, a home is safe, adaptable to our changing needs, and provides security and financial peace of mind. The value of home is where Longevity Living makes a difference, at all stages and ages.
The Role of Elegant Accessibility in Creating Home
Elegant accessibility is a design approach that prioritizes accessibility through well-designed features, layout, fixtures, lighting, and accessories, making it attractive for people of all ages, including older adults and multi-generational households.
Elegant accessibility can be applied to a variety of styles, instilling contemporary aesthetics to create a comfortable lifestyle. It emphasizes open floor plans, wide doorways, natural light, access to nature, and adaptable spaces that can evolve with the needs of residents over time.
Thoughtful details, such as high-quality finishes and pull-out shelves, enhance usability in kitchens and bathrooms, making daily tasks easier. Features like lever handles, glare-free honed countertops, and weight-bearing towel racks blend form and function, ensuring that spaces are both beautiful and practical for all users.
How Community Shapes Our Experience of Home
The community where home is located is essential for enhancing health and well-being. A supportive community can improve our lives through:
Social Connection: Being part of a community fosters connections, helps combat feelings of loneliness and isolation, and encourages meaningful social interactions, allowing for participation across generations.
Well-Being: exercise programs that improve strength, balance, cellular health, memory, diet, and sleep are crucial.
Accessibility: Ensuring accessibility within the private residence and throughout the wider community— including transportation, services, family and friends—is critical.
Longevity Living promotes social interaction, encourages multigenerational family participation, and offers amenities that stimulate engagement. It supports personal needs and creates cheerful, delightful spaces that bring joy to residents and visitors, even in the less mobile stages of senior living, such as assisted living and skilled care, where the personal living space may be smaller.
SmithGroup’s Vision for Longevity Living
SmithGroup has been pioneering Longevity Living for decades. Our commitment to this field is unwavering as we continue to push the next generation of design. Rather than relying on past models of care, we continue to push for innovative design that elevates the resident experience and promotes well-being. Our team includes experts who have delved deeply into research, such as the neurosciences, to inform our design. We are each driven by a shared concern for our aging population and the experiences we will all face.
There are three unique drivers and differentiators in Longevity Living:
Focus on Abilities: We celebrate what residents can do, marking special moments and milestones.
Elegant Accessibility: Our designs ensure that all aspects of living are accessible at every stage of life, from private residences to assisted and skilled nursing and all the amenity spaces in between.
Personal Style: Longevity Living applies to all styles, allowing individuals to express and continue living with their own personal flair.
SmithGroup has created many successful models of Longevity Living in skilled nursing (Masonic Covina), assisted living (Good Shepherd Cottage, Santa Teresita), independent living (The Watermark at Napa), and memory care (The Trousdale). These facilities have set new standards and earned numerous design awards.
Longevity Living is more than just a housing concept; it is a holistic approach to enhancing the quality of life for all generations. By focusing on accessibility, community, and adaptability, it addresses the evolving needs of our aging society. As we continue to learn from past experiences and embrace new technologies, the future of housing will undoubtedly be shaped by these principles.
Ultimately, Longevity Living is about creating environments where people can thrive, remain independent, and enjoy meaningful connections with others. It is a testament to the belief that our living spaces should evolve with us, supporting our journey through all stages of life with dignity and grace. At SmithGroup, we are committed to designing spaces that ensure everyone has the opportunity to live their best life, no matter their age.