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Senior-living Communities – a fine balance in form and function
for today’s active elders
St.Paul, MN, June 30, 2003 – According to a Harvard University
study on aging, by 2030, it is estimated that 20 percent of the
United States population will be over 65. The study also found that
most seniors lock in their housing choice before they reach 60.
As a result, many baby-boomers are making housing choices today
that will last the rest of their lives.
With people living more independently well into their 80s and 90s,
nursing homes have become less of an o ption
for this still-vital and active senior population. Empty nesters
who want to downsize from their family-sized residences have opened
the market to senior-living and assisted-living communities. These
communities are usually built to provide a self-maintained campus
environment offering townhome and/or condominium style housing with
on-site amenities such as healthcare, dining, and shopping, making
it easier for seniors to live as independently as possible. These
communities also commonly present numerous resources for recreation,
with park-like settings, golf courses, or other outdoor activity
areas found on or adjacent to campuses.
Today’s older homebuyers seek a delicate balance between design
and function. This means that developers interested in building
for this market need to make accessible the conveniences that allow
seniors to live actively and independently, as well as provide necessary
care and support services without the look or feel of institutional
living. These older homeowners want to jog, walk, bike, and golf
with their available time. They want to entertain family in spacious
outdoor gardens and picnic grounds. They want to meet and greet
neighbors for a sunny afternoon stroll. They do not want to give
up aesthetics and space to live near necessary support and services.
Boutwell’s Landing is one of these revolutionary senior-living
communities. Nestled comfortably in the scenic St. Croix River Valley,
just outside the Twin Cities in Minnesota, the complex features
various living options and a “Main Street” type area dubbed
“Town Centre” that is home to a wide assortment of services
including a 50-seat chapel, a full-service beauty parlor and an
expansive Wellness Center. But it’s the 100-plus acre s of
surrounding parks, ponds, walkways and landscaping you first notice
when visiting Boutwell’s Landing. And it’s all accentuated
by a VERSA-LOK Standard Retaining Wall System. Mike Kuka, L&K
Landscaping, Inc., and his crew installed this segmental retaining
wall to help even out ground and provide extra planting space to
fashion the natural, country-like setting within this major metropolitan
suburb.
The retaining walls meander around the entire complex, helping to
provide a beautiful and relaxed atmosphere for strolling, biking,
or sitting on a bench to chat with neighbors. “It’s definitely
a campus, but not a compound,” says Kuka. “It’s got
the feel of a small town with large, open park areas and outdoor
spaces for people to meet. Residents can feel at home instead of
feeling like they’ve been put in a [nursing] home. The retaining
walls pull the sprawling grounds together and tie into the brick
facades of residential and service buildings to create a village-l ike
atmosphere.”
Schenley Gardens is another community that seeks to promote the
wellness of mind, body, and spirit for active and independent seniors.
Schenley Gardens – like most buildings in Pittsburgh –
is built on a hill. In fact the assisted-living center has a 200-foot
elevation change on its property. The developer and architect both
wanted to integrate the building into the adjacent hill, but needed
a solution that would measure up to stringent engineering standards
while satisfying the architect’s designing eye. The need was
usable space for outdoor activities and events.
The architect created a series of four terraces spattered with bushes,
trees, benches, and gazebos. Kossman Development Co. used the VERSA-LOK
retaining wall system to build all of the unique curves, corners,
and steps that joined the four terraces. “The curved walls
helped create a relaxing, park-like environment,” said Kossman.
“The tiered retaining walls allowed us to turn impossible terrain
into an outdoor living environment for the active residents.”
Communities such as Boutwell’s Landing and Schenley Gardens
show that residential living for the older population is just as
much about the aesthetics of their surroundings, and the chance
to continue a healthy and active lifestyle, as it is about the convenience
and ease in reaching resources essential for independent living.
For more information on the design flexibility and durability of
VERSA-LOK Retaining Wall Systems, visit www.versa-lok.com, or call
800-770-4525.
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