As Boomers Age, 55-Plus Communities Increasing in Central Mass.

Baby boomers and senior adults are increasingly moving to dedicated 55-plus communities in Central Massachusetts, reports the Worcester Business Journal . There are more than 2,000 such units either underway or just completed in the region. Most have common spaces and amenities designed to foster a sense of community, along with a dearth of big yards requiring much upkeep. Regency at Glen Ellen in Millis features a part-time lifestyle coordinator who plans activities and sets a calendar of events. The community has a clubhouse with a gym and yoga room, an outdoor fire pit, and bocce and tennis courts. "The socialization aspect of it is really important," said Beth Mace with the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care. "People want to be with other people instead of being lonely at home alone." The expansion of active-adult communities is driven by a population bubble, with the U.S. Census Bureau estimating that 29 percent of Massachusetts residents in 2017 were 55 or older versus 25 percent in 2007.