In 2018 there were 754,000 residents aged 65 and older in Colorado, who comprised 13.4% of the total population. This is below the national average of 15.3%. The baby boomer generation includes all people born between 1946 and 1964. Boomers are now between 55 and 73 years of age. A decade from now, when all the boomers will be 65 and older, they will comprise over 18% of the total population.

As designers and architects of older adult residences, one of our primary goals is to create spaces that support integration and community. Of course, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to bringing different groups and generations together.

Modern medical equipment is advancing rapidly, providing patients with state-of-the-art care and procedures that enhance safety. As an outcome, hospitals are retrofitting existing space in order to integrate modern equipment and technology into their buildings.

Here are some of the top health care facility trends that we are seeing today that you may want to consider to help your organization thrive in the years ahead. 

With the baby boomers on their way, it is critical that existing communities adapt to the evolving desires and expectations of seniors and their families.

There have been recent studies and articles comparing productivity changes in the architecture, engineering and construction industry versus other fields. The general conclusions are that every industry has seen an increase in efficiency and productivity except for AEC.

As the baby boomer generation is moving toward a change in their long-term residence, trend is something that needs to be focused on in a new way.

Changing demographics and an aging population mean that the number of seniors in Colorado, and nationally, is growing. With that growth comes an increased need for housing options that both appeal to and provide for the needs of the senior population, which has in turn prompted more real estate developers and investors to enter the market to build and own senior living facilities.

The days of managing health care facility operations through antiquated systems are being replaced with IT-centric facility managers monitoring IoT field devices and leveraging analytics in more complex and transformational ways.

Biophilic design promotes elements that allow the outdoor natural world to be brought inside, or provide views to the outside and access to sunlight from within.