http://www.ecumen.org - Aging services provider Ecumen, one of the country's largest non-profit senior housing companies, is helping change the way developers and eventual residents view senior living by detailing the role that individual choice plays in the vital life decision of deciding where to live one's older adult years.

"A New Day and New Trends in Senior Housing Development" was written on Ecumen's behalf by journalist Frank Jossi. In it, Jossi articulates the dramatic role that the aforementioned individual choice has come to mean in the development of senior communities.

"Say goodbye to drab, institutional environments with long dimly lit hallways, awful food and cheerless common areas," begins Jossi. "In their stead, comes new senior housing designed to 'build community' rather than isolation. They feature community centers, spas, fitness and wellness centers, and ample space and privacy."

The role of choice in today's senior housing market is directly attributable to the increasing number of seniors nationally. Over the next 25 years, seniors will double in number to 70 million and represent 20 percent of the population - a first in the United States. As Jossi notes, this surge represents two waves: the Silent Generation, born between 1925-1945, and the Baby Boomers, born between 1946-1954. As with any wave, the free market will be there to ride and nurture it.

"Communities today are built on the architectural premise that 'aging is all about living,'" states Ward Isaacson, principal with Pope Architects in St. Paul, and one of Ecumen's senior housing development partners. "Community necessities can range from abundant natural lighting to built-in fitness centers and fine arts venues to congregational housing that is connected to churches and other faith communities."

Beyond the structural, senior communities today are built around the notion of "building community, not just buildings." The notion of aging being about living extends beyond where a resident lives into where a development is hosted and how it connects to the larger community. This wider strategic development approach leads to a more vibrant community as a whole.

Visit Ecumen's website to download the full white paper "A New Day and New Trends in Senior Housing Development".

About Ecumen
Ecumen (www.ecumen.org) is based in Shoreview, Minn., and is one of the largest non-profit senior housing companies in the United States. The name Ecumen comes from the word ecumenical, which in turn is derived from the Greek word for home: "Oikos." Ecumen works to create "home" for older adults wherever they choose to live. Ecumen is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and has 4,000 team members. Ecumen writes about news and ideas that are shaping the future of aging services at its Changing Aging blog: http://www.ecumen.org/changing-aging/

Ecumen
Eric Schubert
ericschubert@ecumen.org