New for old

The lack of provision for an ageing population has a knock-on impact on the rest of society. Although older people are not necessarily better off in specially designed retirement housing, the dearth of this type of accommodation blocks many from moving out of larger family homes. This then prevents young families from moving into the space that they need. In the UK, for example, a 2013 report by thinktank Demos, called Top of the Ladder, found that a third of people over 60 want to move to a smaller home. Demos found that if only half of those keen to downsize did so, some 3.5 million homes would be made available. 

John Slaughter, Director of External Affairs at the UK’s Home Builders Federation, adds: “Downsizing can take pressure off hospitals, as retirement housing has been proven repeatedly to improve the health and wellbeing of residents – many of whom are widows and widowers – by reducing loneliness.”

Model mix

To establish a way forward, we must understand what type of environments older people need and will enjoy living in. Later-life housing experts agree that while building more – and better – retirement homes is part of the answer, there are other models that should be in the mix. Several inspiring initiatives around the world demonstrate some of the best approaches. 

Taking retirement homes first, the US has pioneered the idea of the private “continuing care retirement community” (CCRC). The model allows residents to move into villages of sometimes thousands of people from the age of 55 and stay for the rest of their lives. As and when they need, they can move from fully independent living, to receiving varying degrees of care in their own home, to moving to an on-site care home, either for the short or long term. The US has honed this model so that the communities feel more like resorts, replete with swimming pools and golf courses. The CCRC can also help reduce the trauma that older people experience when they are forced to move between several locations in the later years of life as their health deteriorates. 

The model is gaining ground in developed countries. Some of the best examples can be found in Japan, where, according to the national Statistics Bureau, in late 2015, one in four people were aged 65 or over. David Collins, Chief Executive of Senior Housing Consultant at Active Living International, says: “Japan is dealing with older people really well. They have adopted the CCRC model widely, they build beautiful environments and they think about how to make them work – for example, building them close to the rail network, which allows family to visit easily.”

Professor Duncan Maclennan HonRICS, director of the Centre for Housing Research at the University of St Andrews, says: “Most people in the world can’t afford retirement communities, so we need to think about more economical alternatives.” 

Cohabitation

An intergenerational model being trialled in France offers an interesting alternative. Older people cohabit with a younger person, who benefits from lower rent in return for being contracted to provide a level of support, whether that is cooking, cleaning, or even simply spending time with them. Ferreira says: “This is a low-cost approach that avoids older people living apart from the rest of the community, while ensuring they have security and help if they need it.” 

Some seniors, however, need a specialist environment – particularly those with dementia, a condition that non-profit organisation Alzheimer’s Disease International says affects one in five of those over 80. Gradmann Haus in Stuttgart, Germany, is a great example of how to tailor accommodation for specific needs. It caters for medium to advanced dementia sufferers and accommodates the impulses that they tend to have. For example, protected green space responds to the urge to wander and explore, while remaining in a safe environment. A cosy area, meanwhile, meets the needs of those seeking closeness to others. 

For many, the best option is to stay in their own home. Stephen Oxley FRICS, Director at Currie & Brown, says: “The point is the care that is received, and that people have dignity, choice and independence. And evidence suggests that people do best when they stay in a familiar environment and community.” The answer is, therefore, often for older people to stay in their own home, but adapt it – adding non-slip flooring and grab bars, for example – and provide care at home. 

In Brazil, a series of initiatives sponsored by financial institutions show how what experts call “ageing in place” can be achieved in lower-income neighbourhoods, with apparently no cost to the taxpayer. The ILC cites a scheme in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, whereby porters in apartment buildings have been educated about issues that affect older residents, such as falls and building accessibility, and “empowered to engage with building owners” to persuade them to make improvements. At another bank-sponsored pilot project in a favela in Rio, community members are trained and paid to provide care for vulnerable older people. 

The creation of the Brazilian schemes was prompted by the World Health Organization’s (WHO) 'Age-friendly World' initiative to raise awareness of the need for cities to provide spaces that support older people. Ken Bluestone, Influencing and Policy Lead at Age International, believes the initiative is a good starting point: “The WHO is providing good guidance for city planners and communities on how to respond to ageing populations. The idea is to think about issues such as how much time are traffic lights giving people to cross roads, and do we have enough benches in public areas.” Although by 2015, an encouraging 258 cities and neighbourhoods had committed to becoming “age friendly”, they represent just 28 countries, so there is still a way to go. 

RICS professionals are well placed to raise greater awareness of the urgent need to respond to the rapid ageing of the population. Oxley says: “Firms like ours work across housing, health and care sectors, so there is a real opportunity for surveyors to bring the relevant sides together to develop solutions.” 

Surveyors can then influence changes in built environments to better meet the needs of older people, and champion the best solutions from around the world.

Development: Cost engineering for later living

Cost is a common barrier for prospective customers in the retirement housing market. Could these measures change the game?

High-rise retirement

The first threat to financial viability is the assumption that older people prefer single-storey homes. Kevin Smith MRICS, Aecom’s Director for Affordable Housing, Care and Extra Care in the north of England, says it can be hard to make low-rise schemes profitable due to the ratio of land to lettable space: “Higher-rise schemes can be more economically viable and meet demand from today’s retirees for modern design.” The Dutch pioneered high-rise retirement living with de Rokade in Groningen, which comprises 74 flats in a tower that is considered an architectural icon.

Converting existing stock 

If people may consider high-rise retirement homes, this opens up the possibility of adapting distressed residential blocks, as has been done by Northwards Housing at Whitebeck Court in Manchester. Residents’ responses to the building challenge the assumption that older people only want to live in bungalows, says Currie & Brown’s Stephen Oxley FRICS. “They love the views, and the ‘sky lounge’ on the top floor is very popular.”

Prefab construction 

Prefabrication has traditionally been rejected by the later-life housing market for being too rigid. In the UK, Willmott Dixon has been developing a suite of units that can be combined to create schemes that fit different sites. Product director Tim Carey says: “The solution responds to specific requirements of developers but, at the same time, you know the cost of each component, so 90% of costs are certain and the pre-construction period is shorter because less time is spent on design.”

Selling sustainability 

A 2013 RICS report on the Australian market identified a gap in the market for sustainable housing for the growing number of environmentally aware older people. Report author Bo Xia, senior lecturer at Queensland University of Technology’s school of civil engineering and built environment, states, “By providing a retirement village that is eco-friendly, affordable and fosters an engaged lifestyle, [developers and operators] can address the unique needs of older people” 

A more equitable future is within reach. First, we must harness the enormous potential of the 21st century’s people, places and spaces. #WBEF