How Are Senior Care Communities Caring for Couples?

Demographics are influencing senior housing developers and designers' decisions to expand care options for U.S. seniors, including couples, according to Forbes . Forecasts expect more than 19 million Americans 85 and older by 2050, accounting for 24 percent of older adults and 5 percent of the overall population. Pathway to Living communities let couples share assisted living apartments, and they can choose to each have their own assisted living apartment at the same community, or to have individual assisted living apartments in a companion suite. In addition, one spouse can remain in assisted living in the same community where the other resides in memory care. "Couples have different needs and often at different times, so we try to offer as many flexible options and alternatives as possible to help them choose the right home for them," remarks Pathway to Living COO Maria Oliva. Meanwhile, CA Senior Living provides traditional independent living, assisted living, and memory care suites. In certain Ohio communities, it will soon offer a duplex cottage option. Finally, communities from KTGY Architecture + Planning let couples stay together as long as possible in the same place. Should one spouse need rehabilitation, community design permits movement between independent and assisted living areas.