My generation is not going quietly into the night. Technically we have just reached the age of 60 but our mojo is so big it is already affecting the way retirement homes are run. The changes will be profound, they will be revolutionary, and they will be vast. This is big stuff.
Landscape Designers take note. This is going to be a giant opportunity in the oh so near future. The demand will be loud, swift, and forceful. This isn’t exactly a crowd of shrinking violets. The entire operation of retirement communities is changing and they will change inside and out:
A cafe where people can grab an espresso and pastry is also planned. And an outdoor garden for meditating and practicing tai chi was added.
Tai chi, Kung Fu, Pilates, bungee jumping, skydiving, they’re not going down without a fight. Again, the stats:
The intergenerational tension is expected to mount as more and more baby boomers enter their golden years, during which they are expected to be healthier and more active than the generation that came before them. By 2030, one in five U.S. residents is expected to be 65 and older.
Now I personally don’t think this is going to be about gardening but it is going to be about getting outsdie and being active, or about spaces to entertain guest-family and friends. the connection to the outdoors, and the connection to nature . . . folks with more time on their hands and the idea of mortality think about these things.
Better lawn spaces, recreation, patio’s, entertaining . . . retirement centers are going to have to think about these perks. To compete for clients. It’s going to be big, and for some who become experts or specialist in designing these types of spaces demand will be great big. Really big.
The Whispering Crane Institute 