Baby Boomers Inspiring New Type of Home Design
Much of the Chicago housing market focuses on young couples, first-time buyers and families… However, there’s a huge demographic group out there that outnumbers other consumer groups, and their age is inspiring residential builders to design specialized homes.
The baby boomer generation (which comprises about 30% of the American population) is reaching retirement age—in the next decade over 80 million Americans will turn 65 years old—and those statistics have the national housing industry thinking innovatively to ensure future homes and apartments will be safe for elderly occupants and guests.
In Chicago, developers are jumping on the band wagon with non-profit organizations and city, state and government officials to come up with some creative options that will accommodate homeowners who may have trouble living independently in a conventional house, condo or apartment. One new residential-style gaining in popularity is the "visitable" home, which is adaptable to suit both homeowners with age-related disabilities and people who often have elderly visitors (e.g. aging relatives). The concept behind visitable homes is to build condos and houses that provide easy accessibility and mobility to people who might have walkers, wheelchairs or need grab-rails to get move about.
The recent interest in visitable houses and other senior living communities is not just an initiative of forward-thinking developers and senior rights groups, though. City of Chicago building regulations state that at least 10% of the units in government-funded developments and planned residential projects must be specially equipped for residents with disabilities or mobility problems. The guidelines include design elements such as 32" wide doorframes, entries with ramps or no steps, lever hardware (versus knobs, which can be difficult to turn), reinforced walls that can withstand the stress of handrails if needed, lower level bathrooms and convertible bedrooms/dens, and strategically positioned outlets and light switches that do not require bending over to access.
This type of customized home is also an attractive real estate opportunity for baby boomers because it allows for very conventional living now and the ability to adapt for the effects of aging later. Retiring folks can purchase a property that will suit their lifestyle for years to come.
Posted at 09:15AM Mar 24, 2008 by Spencer Mason in General Comments[1]
Posted by Curtis Reddehase on May 12, 2008 at 01:03 PM CDT #