The Near Future Of Assisted and Independent Living

In the next decade an explosion of senior citizens is expected to flood the elder care facilities we have in the United States. The question that arises is, will the assisted living facilities we have today be good enough for the seniors of tomorrow?
Baby boomers are the next wave of assisted living residents. This generation of people is more tech savvy, health conscious, and aware of their rights compared to previous generations. These senior citizens are more physically active compared to others and will not be willing to just sit back and age.
New assisted living facilities are competing to be the most cutting edge in elder care. There are facilities that have computer labs, wi-fi connections, Skype like video conferencing to speak with children and grandchildren, and more. Other facilities are catering to the eco-conscious resident by offering organic fare, green building technology and even locally grown menus.
The vast majority of assisted living facilities will face challenges as these new residents begin to enter the ranks of the current residents. Consumer watchdogs and agencies have been created while more are in the planning stages. Medicare and Congress has an eye on medical restraint policies, while family members are becoming more educated about rights of both residents and families. No longer will staff be able to brush off the concerns or questions of residents or families – the baby boomer generation is behind many of the new regulations, they will be sure that when they need to enter a facility, it will be under their own terms of care.
Other advances in assisted living will be the evolution of continuing care facilities. These communities are a combination of independent living communities, assisted living facilities, and nursing homes. They provide a constant home for people that enter in a retirement community-type setting up to their final days. These types of centers are expected to be the most common center built in the future. Some facilities may have urgent care centers on site so that even in the event of an emergency, a resident never need leave ‘home’.
Many changes are expected in the future of assisted living technology and elder care. It will be very interesting to see what the next generation of assisted living holds for those of us that will need a little extra help eventually.
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