The senior living market is booming across the U.S., and Texas stands out as one of the states with leading growth. What’s driving the immense growth? The most obvious answer is the maturation of the baby boomer generation and the parallel demand for senior living products to accommodate seniors as they need some form of assisted living.
Statistically, senior housing is on the verge of a substantial upsurge. The youngest members of the Baby Boomer generation are now nearing their 60s, while the oldest are in their mid-70s. The necessary demographic fact of aging means that many members of this generation will soon need senior housing facilities as, typically, residents move into senior housing facilities after they turn 80.
Certainly, the aging population is a primary factor. According to the Administration for Community Living (ACL), the population of people aged 65 and older is projected to reach 80.8 million by 2040 and 94.7 million by 2060, up from 54 million in 2019 and 40 million in 2009. This will lead to the need for more senior living communities. According to National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care (NIC) research, the U.S. will need almost 881,000 new units by 2030 and 986,000 by 2040.
In 2022, the senior housing industry didn’t have it easy, still struggling to recover occupancy lost during the pandemic and to deliver new supply in a market that was already occupancy constrained.
Specific to Texas, a recent Texas Senior Living report by Colliers stated the population is forecasted to increase by 6.6% between 2021 and 2026, adding 2 million residents. According to the National Center for Assisted Living, there are approximately 1,300 assisted living communities in Texas, which places Texas squarely within the top 10 for the states with the most senior living product.
Senior living in 2023 and beyond
In 2023, amenity-driven senior communities that resemble resort living will likely continue to trend. From mixed housing options to indoor-outdoor connections, spaces for socialization, media rooms, fitness areas, and the latest rage pickleball courts amenity-rich spaces within senior housing developments will continue to be prioritized.
These projects are largely focused on the high-end segment of the industry and are better equipped to withstand the impact of certain challenges we are facing, including the housing market impacting home sales and labor rates.
Senior living will continue to evolve and the goal will remain to provide inspiring and safe environments that encourage healthy lifestyles, connection and self-confidence. It is laying the groundwork for seniors to be engaged, productive, and independent in their homes, with access to support services that aid in achieving and maintaining a high quality of life.
And as senior living evolves, it is expected to see design elements that optimize a facility’s capabilities, curating a high-end interior environment that accurately showcases the center’s quality of care.
Adult daycare centers operate throughout the state to provide seniors with a supervised place to stay in the daytime while their caregivers are busy tending to their other obligations. On average, it costs $758 a month to stay at an adult daycare facility. Compared to many other states in the country, this is a very low fee. Bear in mind that adult day care does not include extensive nursing care, so it’s ideal for older people who are mostly independent but could use some social activities to keep them busy, and therapeutic and health services.
Texas has plenty of assisted living facilities statewide to provide the elderly assistance with Activities of Daily Living. It costs an average of $3,500 a month to take advantage of health services and receive personal care at an assisted living facility in The Lone Star State. Bear in mind that assisted living is not an alternative to nursing home care; instead, it is essentially an intermediate form of long-term care.
The elderly who cannot live independently at home and do not have caregivers who can provide for them to live their best final years may want to consider staying at a nursing home in Texas. In addition to housing, nursing homes provide round-the-clock supervision and nursing care, along with medications, therapy, and rehabilitation as needed.
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