Senior Spotlight: 5 Features That Define The ‘New Next’ In Senior Living

Let's look ahead at the positive changes likely to emerge in senior living this year!

While virtually every industry faced disruption in 2020, the senior living industry faced distinctive challenges on account of serving the nation’s most vulnerable population with regards to COVID-19. However, many silver linings emerged as countless communities proved their ability to pivot to resident needs, to adapt to emerging healthcare best practices and to fill in the social and emotional gaps amidst required isolation. As such, Senior Housing News has compiled a worthwhile read titled ‘Executive Forecast 2021: A Rare Chance For Senior Living Reinvention.’

While we have highlighted 5 likely trends below, we encourage you to read the article in full. You might be surprised at the ways in which the last year has led to stronger operations, increased hospitality focus and of course enhanced, long-term health and safety standards. There is always room for growth, and the pandemic just may have forced a much-needed reinvention of retirement life.

#1: Resident Protection & Education: Senior living communities in 2021 are focused on continuing to enhance and sustain protocols for resident protection, as well as provide critical education and information as the vaccines arrive.

#2: Top-Notch Safety Technologies: Many existing and newly opened senior living communities are offering ‘Safe Family Lounges’ both indoors and out, UV light health ENTRY portals at entrances, electrostatic handheld sprayers, Accushield screening devices, needlepoint bipolar ionization for air purification and microbicidal paint.

#3: Increased Advocacy of Health Care Legislation: Some CEOs in the senior living industry are prioritizing education within the legislature. As Larry Gumina, CEO of Ohio Living states, “If I look at the new House coming in, the new Senate coming into Ohio, a large percentage… have no clue — with all due respect — about the health care industry, let alone the aging services sector. So, we have an obligation to educate. That’s part of our agenda; part of my agenda. If we can assist in the education of those legislators, they’ll be in a better position to advocate on our behalf for changes.”

#4: Service Adaptations: With the pandemic impacting so many older adults, many myths have circulated about the safety of nursing homes, senior living communities and the like. Many senior living leadership executives are now focused on acknowledging the differences between nursing homes and senior living communities, and what services and safety protocols they can offer that may actually provide a safer environment than at home. Similarly, they are focused on what COVID-enacted services residents want to stay – such as personal shopping.  What originally emerged as a necessity may now be a desired amenity.

#5: The Inclusion of Hospitality Workers: Pandemic living has required senior communities to serve an even greater role with regards to resident service levels. A trend noted this summer likely to continue into 2021 is the hiring of hospitality staff into senior communities. This provides greater support in offering superior transportation, dining, activity and lodging accommodations. 

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Check back every week for more on what you can expect and how you can ensure your aging love ones live the golden years that they deserve.