International design and architecture firm Perkins Eastman recently announced the publication of its 2017 Survey on The State of Senior Living: “An Industry in Transition.” For this, the third in a series of industry surveys conducted by Perkins Eastman Research, led by Associate and Senior Design Researcher Emily Chmielewski EDAC, nearly 200 respondents from mostly not-for-profit life plan communities share their expertise and insights on five key issues that “keep them up at night”: Baby Boomer expectations, healthcare reform, staff recruitment and retention, for-profit competitive growth, and the needs of middle-income residents.
Some of the respondents’ feedback for “An Industry in Transition” was recorded at the 2016 LeadingAge Conference in Indianapolis, conducted at Perkins Eastman’s exhibition booth, in which a random sampling of senior living providers—mostly from the not-for-profit sector—volunteered to answer an on-the-spot survey question about the key issues facing the industry.
Further survey results and feedback revealed that, among the key focus areas being examined, staff recruitment and retention was the #1 concern among respondents. On this topic, many of those surveyed expressed unease toward how wages significantly outpaced job empowerment, benefits, and/or training, while as many as one in three respondents cited recent improvements in recruitment and retention with the help of job role empowerment interventions. Boomer expectations and healthcare reform were close seconds in terms of respondents’ chief concerns for their respective communities and the industry at large going forward.
The first two State of Senior Living surveys conducted by Perkins Eastman Research were published in 2009/10, in the immediate wake of the Great Recession, and in 2015, which was sub-titled “An Industry Poised for Change.” The reason for the relatively brief turnaround time between the second and third surveys has to do strategic alliances, in particular the expressed importance of partnering with healthcare providers. According to the Survey’s authors, “Our 2015 survey saw a remarkable gap between the current alignment with healthcare systems (29% had no relationship) and their belief that an alignment was in the future (74%). What a difference two years makes! Models involving strategic alliance, partnerships and primary referrals all saw significant growth” during this time.
As a rapidly aging Boomer population reevaluates its priorities going forward, and senior living models readjust to accommodate greater demand for everything from urban settings and intergenerational apartment environments to a la carte services for middle-income residents, the 2017 survey’s findings strongly indicate that strategic partnerships with healthcare systems is on the increase industry-wide. “Given some of the shifts in concerns and priorities, we believe [this latest] survey does speak for an industry already in transition and not just poised for change.”
“An Industry in Transition” is available for free download here.
Related Stories
Multifamily Housing | Mar 14, 2023
Multifamily housing rent rates remain flat in February 2023
Multifamily housing asking rents remained the same for a second straight month in February 2023, at a national average rate of $1,702, according to the new National Multifamily Report from Yardi Matrix. As the economy continues to adjust in the post-pandemic period, year-over-year growth continued its ongoing decline.
AEC Tech | Mar 14, 2023
Skanska tests robots to keep construction sites clean
What if we could increase consistency and efficiency with housekeeping by automating this process with a robot? Introducing: Spot.
Industry Research | Mar 9, 2023
Construction labor gap worsens amid more funding for new infrastructure, commercial projects
The U.S. construction industry needs to attract an estimated 546,000 additional workers on top of the normal pace of hiring in 2023 to meet demand for labor, according to a model developed by Associated Builders and Contractors. The construction industry averaged more than 390,000 job openings per month in 2022.
Industry Research | Mar 2, 2023
Watch: Findings from Gensler's latest workplace survey of 2,000 office workers
Gensler's Janet Pogue McLaurin discusses the findings in the firm's 2022 Workplace Survey, based on responses from more than 2,000 workers in 10 industry sectors.
Architects | Feb 24, 2023
7 takeaways from HKS’s yearlong study on brain health in the workplace
Managing distractions, avoiding multitasking, and cognitive training are key to staff wellbeing and productivity, according to a yearlong study of HKS employees in partnership with the University of Texas at Dallas’ Center for BrainHealth.
Office Buildings | Feb 9, 2023
Post-Covid Manhattan office market rebound gaining momentum
Office workers in Manhattan continue to return to their workplaces in sufficient numbers for many of their employers to maintain or expand their footprint in the city, according to a survey of more than 140 major Manhattan office employers conducted in January by The Partnership for New York City.
Giants 400 | Feb 9, 2023
New Giants 400 download: Get the complete at-a-glance 2022 Giants 400 rankings in Excel
See how your architecture, engineering, or construction firm stacks up against the nation's AEC Giants. For more than 45 years, the editors of Building Design+Construction have surveyed the largest AEC firms in the U.S./Canada to create the annual Giants 400 report. This year, a record 519 firms participated in the Giants 400 report. The final report includes 137 rankings across 25 building sectors and specialty categories.
AEC Tech Innovation | Jan 24, 2023
ConTech investment weathered last year’s shaky economy
Investment in construction technology (ConTech) hit $5.38 billion last year (less than a 1% falloff compared to 2021) from 228 deals, according to CEMEX Ventures’ estimates. The firm announced its top 50 construction technology startups of 2023.
Multifamily Housing | Jan 24, 2023
Top 10 cities for downtown living in 2023
Based on cost of living, apartment options, entertainment, safety, and other desirable urban features, StorageCafe finds the top 10 cities for downtown living in 2023.
Industry Research | Dec 28, 2022
Following a strong year, design and construction firms view 2023 cautiously
The economy and inflation are the biggest concerns for U.S. architecture, construction, and engineering firms in 2023, according to a recent survey of AEC professionals by the editors of Building Design+Construction.