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THE WELLNESS REVOLUTION SHAPING SENIOR LIVING
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seniorhousingnews.com
PHOTO COURTESY OF HILTON
1T H E W E L L N E S S R E V O L U T I O N S H A P I N G S E N I O R L I V I N G
TABLEOFCONTENTS
2 About Senior Housing News
3 Key Takeaways
4 The Business of Wellness
6 ● WellnessBeginswithEnvironment
11 ● HowHospitalityisPushingWellnessForward
17 ● ThePerson-CenteredApproachtoMind,BodyandSpirit
28 ● TheWellnessRevolutionisHeretoStay
2T H E W E L L N E S S R E V O L U T I O N S H A P I N G S E N I O R L I V I N G
ABOUTSENIOR HOUSINGNEWS
SeniorHousingNews(SHN)istheleadingsourceof
newsandinformationcoveringtheseniorhousing
industry.
Withanationalreachofmorethan30,000
professionals,SHNboastsareadershipthatincludes
seniorhousingoperators,developers,banking
institutions,realestateinvestmenttrusts,privateequity
andserviceproviderscateringtotheindustry.
SHNprovidesacutting-edgeandtargetedplatform
unlikeanyotherpublication,givingyoutheopportunity
toreachdecision-makerseveryday.
3T H E W E L L N E S S R E V O L U T I O N S H A P I N G S E N I O R L I V I N G
Thewordoneveryone’slipstodayisonethatseniorlivingisin
auniquepositiontoprovide:wellness.
Nomatterthebusinesssector,wellnessisahottopic.In
technologyandhealthcare,inrestaurantsandhospitals,the
conceptiseverywhere.It’sinseniorlivingtoo.That’sbecause
theareasofaresident’slifethatseniorlivingaimstoaddress
areallwellness-based.
Forthehealthoftheirbusinessesandthefutureoftheir
residents,it’stimeforseniorlivingproviderstoembracethe
wellnesschallengeandleadthecharge.Wellnessisnotan
ancillarypieceoftheseniorlivingbusiness.Itisthebusiness.
Seniorlivingprovidersneedtodoitbetter.Thisreportshows
howtheycan.
In these pages, senior living providers will learn:
• Seniorsneedwhole-personwellness—afocusonmultiple,
interrelatedareasofaperson’slife
• Babyboomersdemandmoreattentiononwellnessthan
domembersoftheGreatestGeneration
• Seniorlivingenvironmentsarebeingre-definedasspaces
topromotewellness,impactingsiteselection,building
designandtechnologicalinfrastructure
• Big-namehotelsaresettingthepaceforwellness,and
seniorlivingcanandmustlearnfromhospitality’s
innovativepractices
• Person-centeredofferingsindining,fitnessandhealthcare
mustbethenorm
• Themostpromisingtechnologiesforenhancingwellness
The exterior at the Aurora Health & Wellness Center at Norterre, a multigenerational community in Liberty, Missouri.(PhotocourtesyofNorterre)
KEY
TAKEAWAYS
4T H E W E L L N E S S R E V O L U T I O N S H A P I N G S E N I O R L I V I N G
THE BUSINESS OF
WELLNESS
Wellnessisbigbusiness,andbusinessisgood.
AsreportedbytheGlobalWellnessInstitute,wellnessisa$3.7trillionindustry
andgrowing.From2013to2015,forinstance,wellnesstourismgrew14%to
$563.2billion—morethandoublethegrowthrateofoveralltourisminthat
time.
Allovertheworld,peoplearespendingbigtoachievewellness.Thoughdifferent
sourcesciteanywherefromfourto12dimensionsofwellness,there are five that
are most commonly addressed in senior living:theemotional,mental,physical,
socialandspiritual.
Puttheseandotherdimensionsofwellnesstogetherandyougetthekey
conceptofwellnesstoday:whole-personwellness.Itrequiresamulti-faceted,
integratedapproach,onethatacknowledgestheinterconnectedrelationship
betweendifferentareasofthebody,alongwiththemindandspirit.
Iftheideaofcombiningemotional,mental,physical,socialandspiritualneeds
soundssimilartothemissionofseniorliving,that’srightonthemoney.Senior
livingprovidersarealreadyembracingwellness,andseeingthebusiness
benefits.
Forexample,wellnessofferingsincreaseresidentsatisfactionandimprove
qualityoflife.Thattranslatestolongerlengthofstay,leadingtomorestable
occupancyandahealthierbottomlineforseniorlivingproviders.
LutheranSeniorServices,whichoperates21locationsinMissouriandIllinois,
hasachievedan11%reductioninmove-outstohigherlevelsofcareamong
participantsinits“ProjectWellness.”NewJersey-basedJuniperCommunities
hasextendedlength-of-staythroughConnect4Life,aprogramthathasslashed
hospitalizationsamonghigh-acuityresidents,loweringcostsofcare.
W E L L N E S S I N D U S T R Y
$3.7 trillion Wellnessisa$3.7trillionindustryandgrowing.
Effortsaimedattheemotional,physical,socialandspiritualdimensionsdrivebigspending.Alongwithtourism,today’stopwellnesssectorsinclude:
• Healthy eating, nutrition and weight loss ($648billionin2015)
• Fitness and mind-body connection ($542billion)
• Preventative and personalized medicine and health care ($534billion)
• Spas ($98.6billion)
Source:GlobalWellnessInstitute,“BuildWelltoLiveWell—Wellness
LifestyleRealEstateandCommunities,”2018
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Theseresultssuggestthatwellness-focusedseniorlivingproviderscanstrike
valuablebusinessarrangementswithhealthsystemsandpayers,whichare
onthehuntforpartnerstohelpthemimproveoutcomeswhileloweringcosts
fortheirpatientorbeneficiarypopulations.Considertherecent$1.35billion
acquisitionofHCRManorCare’soperationsbynonprofithealthsystemand
insurancecompanyProMedica,whichbelievesitcanleveragetheplatformtohelp
bettermanageseniorsunderitscare.
Furthermore,seniorlivingresidentsdemandwellness.A2009surveyof1,042
seniorlivingresidents—conductedbymembersofProMaturaGroup,LLCandthe
AmericanSeniorsHousingAssociation—revealedthat“nonphysicalattributesof
theircommunitieshadasignificantlygreaterimpactontheirsatisfactionthanthe
community’sphysicalattributes.”
A2018InternationalCouncilofActiveAgingsurveyof4,063senior
livingresidentsfoundthatwellnessprogramssignificantlyimprovea
resident’squalityoflife.Theimpendingwaveofbabyboomersentering
seniorcare—theU.S.Censusprojectsa105%increaseinpeopleover
65from2015to2060—willonlyincreasethatfocus.
“Noonewantstobedefinedbytheirhealthneeds,theirhealth
problemsortheirfunctionallimitations,”RobertG.Kramer,founder
andcurrentstrategicadvisorattheNationalInvestmentCenterfor
SeniorsHousing&Care(NIC),recentlytoldSeniorHousingNews.“We
havetodeliverbothqualityofcareandqualityoflife.”
Yeteventhesefindingsdon’ttellthefullwellnessstory.Afterall,the
wellnessstoryisjustbeginning,andthisreportshowshowwellnesswill
helpseniorlivingresidentsandprovidersnotjustsurvive,butflourish.
“Thatwouldbetheaimof…goodseniorcare:theaimtolive,live,live
untilyoudie—thatyou’redancingwhenyoudie,”saysMaryTabacchi,
aCornellUniversityprofessoremeritawiththeCornellSchoolofHotel
Administrationandamemberofthe2017CornellInstituteforHealthy
Futuresroundtable.
“Thatwouldbethedreamofmostpeople,”Tabacchisays.“Theydon’twanttositaroundanddieslowly.”
DEPRESSION IS A GLOBAL
ECONOMIC KILLER
A2016WorldHealthOrganizationstudy
estimatedthattheglobaleconomy
loses$1trillionannuallyinproductivity
duetodepressionandanxietydisorders,
whiletheAARPPublicPolicyInstitute
releasedin2018resultsofastudythat
showedanannual$6.7billionMedicare
expenseasaresultofsocialisolation.
Residents Love Wellness Programs
87%
87% of life plan/CCRC residents are very satisfied or satisfied with overall quality of life
Life plan, CCRC properties in ICAA/
ProMatura Wellness Benchmarks
94%
94% of IL and AL residents are very satisfied or satisfied with overall quality of life
IL or IL/AL properties in ICAA/ProMatura
Wellness Benchmarks
ICAA/ProMatura Wellness Benchmarks, 4,063 resident surveys. “How satisfied are you with your quality of life here at the community?” “To what degree does your participation in your wellness program impact your satisfaction with overall community?”
That would be the aim of … good senior care: the aim to live, live, live until you die — that you’re dancing when you die. That would be the dream of most people: they don’t want to sit around and die slowly.
MaryTabacchi,professoremeritawiththeCornellSchoolofHotelAdministration
6T H E W E L L N E S S R E V O L U T I O N S H A P I N G S E N I O R L I V I N G
WELLNESS BEGINS WITH
ENVIRONMENT
Whole-personwellnessdoesn’tstartwiththeperson—itstartsaroundtheperson.Thatmeans
developingcommunitiesandspaceswithincommunitiesdesignedtoaddresseachresident’swellness
goalsandneeds.
Frommultimillion-dollarstandalonewellnesscenterstowellness-focusedfitnessofferingsinsenior
housing,allthewaytobig-namehotelsbuyingwellnessretreatstoexpandtheirbrands,realestate
developersarecapitalizingonwellnessinabigway.In2017,thewellnessrealestateindustry
represented$134billioninsales,up6.4%annuallysince2015.GlobalWellnessInstituteprojectsthat
sectortoexpandto$180billionby2022.
Thesearenewenvironmentsthatdelivercustomizable,person-centered
amenitiesdesignedtohelpresidentsandgueststhrive.“Environment”here
hastwomeanings.Thefirstisaphysicalspacedesignedbasedonwellness
principles.Thesecondisthehumanenvironment—thepeoplewithinthe
communitywithwhomthepersoninquestioninteracts.
Thesetwotypesof“environments”arenowbeingconsideredinseniorliving.
Whetherbuildingstandalonewellnessfacilitiesoraddingwellness-specific
areastoexistingproperties,hereisalookathowseniorlivingprovidersare
buildingwellnessintotheirenvironments.
Physical spaces are vital for wellness delivery
A2016reportbyarchitecturefirmPerkinsEastmandefinesawellnesscenter,alsoknownasaCenter
forHealthyLiving(CHL),as“anewbuildingtypologythatsupportsseniorsthroughallthedimensionsof
wellness.”Thereportaddsthatthesecenters“helpbridgethegapbetweentheseniorlivingandhealth
caresectors”withafocusonwhole-personwellness.
Whetherastandalonestructureorpartofalargercommunitysuchasacontinuingcareretirement
community(CCRC),thewellnesscenterisbecomingacriticalcomponentofthemodernseniorcare
offering.
W E L L N E S S R E A L E S TAT E S A L E S
$134 billion In2017,thewellnessrealestate
industryrepresented$134billionin
sales,up6.4%annuallysince2015.
Source:GlobalWellnessInstitute,“BuildWelltoLiveWell—
WellnessLifestyleRealEstateandCommunities,”2018
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“Thepurposeofthehealthylivingcenteristo,numberone,create
ahealth-basedsystem,andtwo,tocreateanavigationsystem
thatorganizestheservicesaroundtheperson,traverseswiththem
throughthecontinuumandcollectsdataalongthewaysothat
eachpersonisabletohaveamoreholisticjourneythroughthat
continuum,”saysSteveShields,CEOofActionPactHoldingsLLC.,
aseniorlivingconsulting,developmentanddesigncompany.
ActionPactjoinedtheLibertyHospitalsystemtodevelopandopen
Norterre,a$60-millionmultigenerationalwellnesscommunitynow
openinLiberty,Missouri.Norterreopenedinphases,startingin
February2018,anditsfirstphasewasits65,000-squarefootCHL
calledtheAuroraHealthandWellnessCenter.
Thiswouldbethethird-largestCHLinthePerkinsEastmanstudy,
whichstudied14facilitiesatanaveragemeasurementof36,776
squarefeet.Liketheterm“wellness”itself,these14facilitiesshare
commonprinciplesbutdiffergreatlyintheirspecifics,ranging
from8,000squarefeettomorethan129,000.Theyprovidea
rangeoffitness,healthcare,diningandartsandentertainment
offerings,manywithaneducationalelement.
Theseandothersshowtherangeofapproachesprovidersare
takingtodeliverontheconceptofwellness.Whattheyhave
incommonisanattentiontotheimpactthatthephysical
environmenthasonwellnessdelivery.
“EveryoperatorIthinkhasadifferentviewofwhattheircorevisionandmissionis,butatthecrux
ofthatisanenvironmentofwellness,wellbeingandvibrancyfortheresidents,”saysMarkShaver,
Welltower’sseniorvicepresidentofstrategy.Therealestateinvestmenttrust(REIT)viewswellnessas
havingfourmaincomponents:nutrition,hydration,safetyandcognitiveengagement.
Thatfocuson“environmentsthatpromotewellness”
wasthebasisforWelltowerchangingitsnamein
2015fromHealthCareREIT,Inc.Communitiesthat
embracewellnessofferthebestsolutionforan
agingpopulationtolivewell,saysJohnOlympitis,
Welltower’svicepresidentofbusinessdevelopment—
“not,”hesays,“isolatedinone’shome,awayfromthe
congregantbenefitsofseniorliving.”
Whetheracommunitycallsitselfawellnesscenteror
not,theimportanceofbuildingwellnessintoasenior
livingenvironmentismandatory.
Thefitnessofferinginthewellnesscenterat
multigenerationalcommunityNorterreinLiberty,
Missouri.Initsfirst45daysofbeingopen,the
wellnesscenterhad3,000payingmembers,with
1,500-2,000peopleparticipatinginclassesper
week.(Photovianorterre.org)
Every operator I think has a different view of what their core vision and mission is, but at the crux of that is an environment of wellness, wellbeing and vibrancy for the residents.
MarkShaver,seniorvicepresidentofstrategyat
Welltower,Inc.
8T H E W E L L N E S S R E V O L U T I O N S H A P I N G S E N I O R L I V I N G
Developers target multigenerational communities to deliver wellness
WhenActionPactandLibertyHospitaldevelopedtheplan
forNorterre,thefoundersfiguredthefirstphaseshould
beaCHL.Theyfiguredright.Initsfirst45daysopenfor
business,membershipfortheAuroraHealthandWellness
Centergrewto3,000people,with1,500to2,000perweek
participatinginclasses.Participantagesrunfrom12to
105,withtheaverageparticipantaged42.
ThatdrasticagerangeiscentraltotheNorterreoffering,
asistheuseoftheword“multigenerational”insteadof
“intergenerational,”Shieldssays.AsShieldsexplainsit,
“intergenerational”isnowusedtodescribeseniorliving
communitiesthatfindwaystointegratenon-seniorsatlow
numbers,andperhapsnotpermanently.
“Multigenerational,”hesays,referstoacommunity
whereallagesaretrulymixed,andprogrammingequally
accountsfortheirvariedneeds.
“Thisisnotaseniorlivingcommunity,butwhatweall
calla‘seniorlivingcommunity’iscontainedwithinit,”
Shieldssays.“IloveCCRCs.Ithinkthey’regreat.Butitisa
segregationofsorts.”
ToShields,beingmultigenerationalmeanssatisfyingsome
ofthesocialandspiritualaspectsofwellnessthataCCRC
doesnotalwaystouch.
“Whenanindependentlivingresidentcomesdowntolunch
[atNorterre],they’llbeeatingwithallages,”Shieldssays.
“Itisthereforenotaremoval.Itismultigenerational.And
thatisnotanuance.Thatisadramaticmodelshift.The
powerofthatwillnotbevisibleuntilpeoplecanseeit.…It
willlookdifferent,feeldifferent,livedifferent.”
W E L L N E S S D E V E L O P M E N T T R E N D :
Multigenerational communitiesLocation:Liberty,Missouri
Open date:February1,2018
Type of community: Multigenerationalmulti-
usecommunityencompassingretirement
(CCRC)andnon-agespecifichousing
Part 1: 65,000-squarefootCenterforHealthy
Living,nowopen
Part 2: Skillednursingfacility(SNF),with20
long-termcareresidencesand40short-term
staysuites,nowopen
Part 3: 60assistedlivingresidences,ofwhich
20arememorysupport,nowopen
Part 4:Independentlivingandnon-age-
specifichousing,alongwithadditional
healthydiningandretailshopping,open
2019-2020
Source: norterre.org
“Multigenerational” refers to a community where all ages are truly mixed, and programming equally accounts for their varied needs.
9T H E W E L L N E S S R E V O L U T I O N S H A P I N G S E N I O R L I V I N G
Marketing matters: The importance of presenting wellness to residents
IfitlookslikeaSNFandworkslikeaSNF,it’sprobably
aSNF.Unlessofcourseitisthe$30-millionFutureCare
CapitalRegioninLandover,Maryland.That’sbecause
FutureCareHealth—whichoperates15communities
throughoutMaryland—iscallingits150-bedcommunitya
rehabilitationandwellnesscenter.
“Peopletodayarelookingformorethanjustatraditional
skillednursingfacility,”saysDianeVernon,vicepresidentof
businessdevelopmentforFutureCare.“They’relookingat
thewholeperson.”
Indoingso,FutureCaresoughttodesignacommunitythat
resemblesawellnessretreatorresort,ratherthanaSNF.
Thatmeansthinkingjustasmuchabouttheamenities
astherehab.Theseamenitiesincludefourcafes,one
withrestaurant-styledining;atherapeuticmessageand
treatmentroom;asalon;andenterpriseWi-Fithroughout
theentirecenter.
“Wehadtheopportunitytodesign[CapitalRegion]tomeet
thechangingneedsoftheseniorpopulation,”Vernonsays.
“Wearejusttryingtoincorporateotheraspectsofwellness
abovewhatyounormallywouldseewhenenteringaskilled
nursingfacility.”
Photo by Vince Luppo, of Direction One
W E L L N E S S D E V E L O P M E N T T R E N D :
Marketing MattersLocation: Landover,Maryland
Open date: April2018
Max occupancy: 150,with82privaterooms
Type of community: Amixofshort-term
rehabandlong-termcare
Key wellness offerings include:
• Threeoutdoorcourtyards
• 4,500-squarefootVitalStrong
rehabilitationgym
• 24-bedventilatorunit
• Nine-patientdialysissuite
• Therapeuticmassageand
treatmentroom
We had the opportunity to design [Capital Region] to meet the changing needs of the senior population. We are just trying to incorporate other aspects of wellness above what you normally would see when entering a skilled nursing facility.
DianeVernon,vicepresidentofbusinessdevelopmentforFutureCare
10T H E W E L L N E S S R E V O L U T I O N S H A P I N G S E N I O R L I V I N G
Wellnesscenters,orseniorlivingcommunitieswithafocusonwellness,seemtopopupbytheday.
Thesetaketheformofstandalonefacilities,additionstoexistingpropertiesorelementsinnew,larger
communities.Upcoming development includes:
Photo sources 1: watercrestkingwood.com 2: srgseniorliving.com 5: oppidan.com
T H E W E L L N E S S C E N T E R O F T H E F U T U R E
Watercrest at Kingwood, from Integrated
Property Management
Kingwood, Texas
The174-unitindependentlivingcommunityhasannouncedamassiveexpansion:145,117additionalsquarefeet,with73moreILunitsand24assistedliving.Theexpansion,dateTBD,includesawellnesscenter.
The Domain in Austin, from Senior
Resource Group
Austin, Texas
SeniorResourceGroupisopeninga230-unitIL,ALandmemorycarecommunity,whichwillincludeawellnesscenter,theater,library,restaurant-stylediningandotherwellnessamenities.DueopeninJune2019.
Seven-acre community from MedCore
Partners and The National Realty Group
Atascocita, Texas
A186-unitIL,AL,memorycarecommunitywillincludeafitnessandwellnesscenter,bistro,theaterandbeautyshop.DueopeninMarch2020.
Independent living from MedCore Partners
and The National Realty Group
Georgetown, Texas
A314-unitILcommunitywillincludeafitnessandwellnesscenter,asalonandspa,adog-friendlywalkingtrailandotherwellnessamenities.DueopeninAugust2020.
Watermark at Napa Valley, from Watermark
Retirement Communities
Napa, California
Wellnesscenterincludedina195,000-squarefootmixed-usecommunitysituatedonahighschoolcampus.Dueopenin2020.
Zen-inspired 55+ community from
The Kendal Corp
Healdsburg, California
TheKendalCorporationandtheSanFranciscoZenCenterarepartneringtobuildazen-inspired,55+community.Dueopenin2022.
11T H E W E L L N E S S R E V O L U T I O N S H A P I N G S E N I O R L I V I N G
HOW HOSPITALITY IS
PUSHING WELLNESS
FORWARD
Forhotelguestswhowanttoworkoutinthe
privacyandcomfortoftheirhotelrooms,the
daysofpumpingoutpush-upsonthecarpet
aregone.Asarethedaysofnotknowinghow
togetanoutdoorruninanunfamiliarcity.Or
needingtojuggleyourscheduletoparticipate
inyogaclasses.
Thesewellnessperksandmorearenowfound
inmanyoftheworld’stophotels.Mostof
thesehospitalityleadersdidn’thavetostretch
theircorecompetenciesorriskdilutingtheir
abilitytodeliveragreathotelexperience.
Instead,theycreatedstrategicpartnerships
withleadersinotherindustries—fitness,
yoga,spas,dining—todelivertotheir
guestsyetanotherluxury,personalized
experience.Insomecases,theyareeven
givinggueststheopportunitytocreatethe
offeringitself.
Alookintothehospitalityindustryoffers
valuablelessonstolearnaboutwellness
delivery.Herearesomeofourfavorites.
We know that no matter how determined people are about making healthy decisions while at home, the ability to replicate those choices is often not as accessible as it should be while traveling.
RyanCrabbe,formerHiltonseniordirectorofglobalwellness,ina2017interviewwithAdventureSportsNetwork
SpaareaatMandarinOrientalBodruminBodrum,Turkey,
aspartoftheMOpartnershipwithMayoClinic.Startingin
2015,theluxuryhotelbrandjoinedforceswiththehealth
researchandclinicalpracticenonprofittodeveloptheMayo
ClinicHealthyLivingprogramsatMOlocationsinTurkeyand
WashingtonD.C.(viamandarinoriental.com)
12T H E W E L L N E S S R E V O L U T I O N S H A P I N G S E N I O R L I V I N G
FromtheU.S.toCanada,fromtheCaribbeantotheMediterranean,hotelbrandsworldwideareteaming
upwithotherwellnessindustriestodeliverthebesttotheirguests.In2015,MandarinOrientalHotel
GrouppartneredwiththeMayoClinicforitsfirstinaseriesofwellnessandhealthylivinginitiatives.
ThehoteldevelopedtheMayoClinicHealthyLivingProgrammeatitslocation
inBodrum,Turkey,andin2017hostedtheMayoClinicHealthyLivingat
MOinWashington,D.C.Bothprogramsoffermulti-daypackagesfocusedon
personalizedhealthassessments,exerciseandfitnessclasses,education
sessionsandhealthyeating,withguestsreceivingapersonalizedwellness
plan.
Andin2016,ParkHyattaddedtwonewwellnesspartnerships.ParkHyatt
NewYorkteamedupwithNewYorkCitymeditationstudioMNDFLtobringa
“meditationinresidence”programtohotelguests.ParkHyattalsopartnered
withDr.FrankLipman,founderoftheElevenElevenWellnessCenterinNew
York,tobringhis“BeWell”wellnessprogramtotheParkHyatthotelsinNew
York,ChicagoandWashingtonD.C.
TheHyattbrandhasalsogonebeyondpartnerships.In2017,HyattHotels
&Resortsacquiredtwowellnessbrands:Exhale,aboutiquefitnessclasses
andspaservicescompanywith25locationsthroughouttheU.S.andthe
Caribbean,andMiravalGroup,aluxuryspawithitsflagshiplocationinTucson,
Arizona.
In2014and2015,theShangri-
LaHotelinTorontoannounced
twowellnesspartnerships:one
withLululemontobringhotel
guestsanin-roomyogatraining
video,withmatsprovided,and
another with iRunmagazinethat
builtpersonalized,scenicrunning
routesthroughoutTorontobased
ontheguest’sskillandcomfort
levelasarunner.
&
Hospitality Trend: Strategic partnerships and acquisitions
Imagefromthedigital,Lululemon-ledyoga
programatShangri-LaHotel,Toronto.
(ScreenshotviaVimeo.comvideofromdesign
andbrandingfirmHermann&Audrey)
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HyattCEOMarkHoplamaziancallstheseeffortsanexpansion
into“adjacentspaces”—areasthatextendHyatt’sbrandand
arecoretothecompany’sglobalgrowthstrategy.
“Werecognizethebusinessopportunitywithinthe[billion-
dollar]wellnesstourismcategoryandunderstandtherising
demandforwellnessofferingsamongourtargeted,high-end
travelers,”Hoplamaziansaidinastatementin2017.
Why this matters for senior living: Alongwithtouchingon
multipledimensionsofwellness,thesepartnershipslethotels
meetguestneedsinaprofessionalizedofferingwithoutactually
needingtoexpandtheirowncapabilities,whiletheacquisitions
givetheseprovidersaccesstonewbusinessopportunities.
Tech partnerships: Cal-a-Vie health spa and Muse, the Brain-Sensing Headband
What it does: Thisheadbandisequippedwith
electroencephalogram,orEEG,sensors,which
detectbrainactivityandserveasabiofeedback
tool.Theuserwearstheheadbandwhile
meditating,alongwithheadphones,allofwhich
attachtoahandhelddevice.Thesensorsread
theuser’sbrainactivityduringmeditationand
translatethemintosound,whichtheuserhears
throughtheheadphones.Whentheuseriscalm
andrelaxed—whenthemeditationisworking—
thesoundispleasurable.Whentheyareanxiousor
restless,itisnot.Theycanthenusethosesounds
toredirecttheirownmeditationeffortstohelp
calmthemselves.Cal-a-Vie’snutritionaldirector
introduceditbecausestresscancauseovereating.
A look at Muse, the Brain-Sensing
Headband, which uses EEG sensors to
detect brain activity during meditation,
and translate that activity into different
sound patterns, which the user hears
via headphones. The headband tracks
and stores her meditation data in
a smart phone — note the smart
phone identifying the user as “38%
calm.”(photosviaGuyMaven.comand
choosemuse.com)
In2015,Shangri-LaHotelinToronto
partneredwithiRunmagazinetocreate
outdoorrunningpathsforguests.
(Photofromirun.ca)
14T H E W E L L N E S S R E V O L U T I O N S H A P I N G S E N I O R L I V I N G
In2017,Hiltonrolledoutitspersonalizedwellnessplatform,FiveFeettoFitness.Availableatnine
U.S.Hiltonhotels,FiveFeettoFitnessisaspecializedfitness-centrichotelroomthatplacesworkout
equipmentintheindividualhotelroomitself,fromstationarybikestoweightstoyoga.
Atouchscreenkioskletsuserspersonalizetheirworkoutswith
morethan200exercisetutorialsinover25classes.
WestinHotels&Resortsalsooffersroom-based,personalized
fitness.In2017,itpartneredwithtech-basedexercisebike
Pelotonfor“Rise&RidewithWestinandPeloton.”Theprogram
letsWestinguestsatnearly50locationsconnectwitheachother
formorethan4,000live-streamingbikingandexerciseclasses.
Why this matters for senior living:Asseniorslosemobility,their
worldsshrink.Creatingexerciseoptionsinresidentroomsmakes
theseroomsfeelexpansiveratherthanconstrictive.
Alongwiththephysicalandspiritualdimensionsofwellness,
addingfitnesstoresidentroomsalsoaddressthesocial
andemotionaldimensions.AsPelotonco-founderandCOOTomCorteseexplainedatthe2017PSFK
Conference,thecompanyviewsitselfasan“interactivemediacompany.”
“Wewantfolkstowanttoworkout,”Corteseexplained.HecallsPelotonaproductthatdeliversan
“immersive,entertainingandinteractivefitnessexperience.”
“WhenyouaskanobsessedPelotonriderwhattheylovesomuchaboutPeloton,”Corteseadded,
“they’renotgoingtotalkaboutthesoftwareorthebikeitself.They’regoingtotalkabouttheir
instructorsandtheactualclassthatmotivatesthemtoridehard45minuteseverysingleday.”
Hospitality Trend: Fitness in the resident room
AnexampleofHilton’sFive
FeettoFitnessroom.(Via
fivefeettofitness.hilton.com)
Westinhasaddedtech-enabledexercise
bikePelotontosomehotelrooms.Here,
arideradjuststheprogrammingonthe
bike’sscreen.(viawestin.marriott.com/
wellness/move-peloton)
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Hospitality Trend: The resident’s starting point
InVista,California,luxuryresortandwellnessspaCal-a-Viehasspent32yearsdeliveringwellnesstoits
guests.Todosotoday,thespafirstcreatesastartingpointforeachperson:aphysicalassessment.
Duringathree-,four-orseven-daystay,Cal-a-Vie’steamofpersonal
trainers—themajorityofwhomhavedegreesinexercisephysiologyor
kinesiology—giveguestsacomprehensivephysicalevaluationthatlets
themleavetheresortwithadeeperunderstandingoftheirbodies,health
andfitnessabilities.
The spa’s health offering is significant, including:
• Morethan100health-relatedclasses,includingstrengthtraining,
flexibility,aerobiccapacityandPilates
• ●Bloodworkbyanon-sitephlebotomist
• ●HDL/LDLbloodcholesteroltesting
• ●Urineandsalivasampletests
• ●Guthealthtests
• ●Nutritionprogramsandrecommendationformealplans
“We’vealwayshadaverycomprehensiveprogramthatiscenteredon
fitness,nutritionandourspatreatments,”saysDebbieZie,Cal-a-Vie’s
generalmanager.“Weconsiderallofthesecomponentsofourprogram
equallyimportant,andnonelesseffectivethananother.”
Why this matters for senior living:Cal-a-Vie’sstaffempowerstheirguests—someofwhomareintheir
80s—tomakehealthychoiceslongaftertheyleave.Andwhileaseniorlivingresidentmightnotbe
movingoutofseniorcare,heorshecanstillseektoliveasindependentalifeaspossible.Thatmeans
knowinghowtomaketherightchoicestocareforone’sbody.
Outdoorpoolatluxuryresortandwellness
spaCal-a-Vie,inVista,California.The
32-year-oldresortbuildsitsprograms
aroundtheprinciplesofwhole-person
wellness.(Photoviacal-a-vie.com)
Amongthewellnessofferingsatluxury
resortandwellnessspaCal-a-VieistheBod
Pod,whichmeasuresauser’scompletebody
compositionthroughairdisplacement.(via
fagansportsmedicine.com)
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Hospitality Trend: Resident-led programming
Marriott’s M Beta incubator at the Charlotte
Marriott City Center includes stationary bike video
rides that can take riders on paths both domestic
and international. As their website says, “Fitness
here is designed to fit your routine and mood.”
(viawww.marriott.com)
TheCharlotteMarriottCityCenterismorethanahotel—itisaninnovationincubatorwhereguestsget
topointthehotelbrandinnewwellnessdirections.Launchedin2016,thewellnessincubatorMBetaisa
seriesofinnovationsandexperimentsinhospitality,withguestsservingasthearbitersofaddition.
Theprogramletsguestsexperienceandthenvoteoncreativenewdeliveriesof
standardhotelservice,everythingfromamobileappforcheck-intoguest-driven
roomfurnitureconfigurationtoimmersivediningexperiencesbuiltaroundtheguest
toon-demand,screen-drivenstationarybikeprogramming.
Why this matters for senior living: Hotelresidentsaremadetofeelathome,but
seniorlivingresidentsreallyareathome.Aseniorlivingproviderthatcandevelop
wellnessprogramsandservicesdrivenbyresidentrequestsandrecommendations
cancreateexperiencesthattrulyserveeachindividual.
Marriott’swellnessincubator,
MBeta,letsguestsexperience
potentialinnovationsand
experimentsinhospitality.
(M Beta) allows us to be much more nimble as a brand and to have a stronger ability to introduce new programs at other hotels in our system. It’s about collaboration and co-creating with our guests.
MatthewCarroll,vicepresidentofglobalbrandmanagement,MarriottHotels,from2016HotelBusinessinterview
17T H E W E L L N E S S R E V O L U T I O N S H A P I N G S E N I O R L I V I N G
THE PERSON-CENTERED
APPROACH TO MIND,
BODY AND SPIRIT
Inaworldinwhichthepersonalizationofgoods,servicesandexperiencesisexpected,theconsumer
demandsonseniorlivingtodeliverperson-centeredwellnessofferingshaveneverbeengreater.
Fortunately,seniorliving’sabilitytodeliverthispersonalizationhasalsoneverbeengreater.
Thispersonalizationtouchesthethreebiggestareasofwellness—themind,thebodyandthespirit.
Seniorlivingprovidersdeliverthispersonalizationthroughacombinationofmethods.Mostnotably,
they:
• Establish a resident’s baseline —thepsychologicalorthephysical—totailoranenvironment,care
planandtreatmentaroundthatresident’sspecificgoals,desiresandneeds.
• Educate residents about health,dietandfitness,sothattheyareempoweredtohelpthemselvesas
besttheycan.
• Listen to residents to learn their likes and dislikes:whattheywanttoeat,whattheywanttolearn,
whattheywanttodo,howtheywanttolive.
Frompre-move-inpsychologicalassessmentstonutritionalcookingdemonstrationsandtelehealth,
wellnessisextendingtoeveryareaofseniorliving.Providerswhothinkaboutwellnessintermsofeach
resident’smind,bodyandspiritareaheadofthegame.
B O D YM I N D S P I R I T
18T H E W E L L N E S S R E V O L U T I O N S H A P I N G S E N I O R L I V I N G
The Mind: Senior wellness begins in the brain
At life-plan community The Mather in Chicago
suburb Evanston, Illinois, the culinary team
offers residents different restaurants that create
different atmospheres to address different needs
of emotional and spiritual wellness. This space is
the 31, the Mather’s elegant, more formal setting.
(PhotocourtesyofTheMather)
Whole-personwellnessmeansthattobetrulywell,apersonmustimproveeverypieceofhisorherpie.
“Yougofromahospitalitybusiness,whichwasassistedlivingandseniorcare,nowintohealthcare,
andthereissometurbulencealongtheway,”saysDr.PaulNussbaum,co-founderofWellQor,anew
companylaunchedinthepastyeartoconductcomprehensivepsychologicalservicesandanalysisto
olderadultsenteringseniorcare.Theservicesfocusonasenior’sbrain-healthlifestyle.
Nussbaum,board-certifiedinclinicalpsychologyand
geropsychologywithaspecialityinneuropsychology,
saysthatWellQorisdrivenbythegapsintheseniorliving
intakeprocess.Hesaysthatproperdiagnosisofseniors
enteringseniorlivingislackingintheU.S.,andthat
withoutaproperdiagnosis,propertreatmentisdifficult
toimpossible.
“Forexample,practically,youjustcan’tsetupamemory
careprogramandputolderadultsintherewhoyouthink
haveamemoryproblem,”Nussbaumsays.“Youhaveto
haveagooddiagnosis,becauseyoudon’twanttoput,for
example,peoplewithAlzheimer’sinthesameprogram
aspeoplewithParkinson’s.Inmyexperience,whichisall
acrossthecountry,thatstillisabigproblem.”
You don’t want to put, for example, people with Alzheimer’s in the same program as people with Parkinson’s. In my experience, which is all across the country, that still is a big problem.
Dr.PaulNussbaum,co-founderofWellQor
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Step 1: Proper assessmentInadiagnosticreview,theWellQorteamgathershundredsofdatapointsaboutthe
senior,followedbyacursorymentalstatusexaminationlasting30to60minutes.
Step 2: Proper treatment Atreatmentisrecommendeddirectlyfromtheresultsoftheassessment.
Step 3: Proper environment Lastly,theWellQorteamworksdirectlywiththeleadersoftheseniorlivingcommunity
todeterminethebesttypeofenvironmentthattheseniorrequires.
The three steps of WellQor’s process for improving brain-health lifestyle:
You go from a hospitality business, which was assisted living and senior care, now into health care, and there is some turbulence along the way.
Dr.PaulNussbaum,co-founderofWellQor
WellQor’smissionistobecomeongoingpartnerswithseniorsandtheircommunities,sothatseniorscan
receivepropertreatmentsandproperlypursuetheirwellnessgoals.Thecompanycurrentlyworkswith
160seniorlivingcommunitiesineightstates.NussbaumseesoneofWellQor’sprimevaluesasfixing
areasofapersonthatdon’trespondtomedicine.
“Attheendoftheday,thethingthat’smostimportant…istodotherightthingforolderadults,which,
inthementalhealtharena,isjustnothappeningrightnow,”Nussbaumsays.“Weneedasacountry
todoabetterjob.[Thereis]alotofanxiety,alotofdepression,alotofcognitiveproblems,alotof
loneliness.Andwedon’thavemedicationstohandlethesethings.”
ADecember2017studybytheWorldHealthOrganization
(WHO)foundthatmentalhealthproblemsareunder-
identifiedbybothhealthcareprofessionalsandseniors.The
WHOresearchshowsacorrelationinolderadultsbetween
depressionanddecliningphysicalconditions,andfindsmore
than20%ofadultsaged60oroversufferfromamentalor
neurologicaldisorder,themostcommonbeingdementiaand
depression.
“Youempowersomeonewithinformationandeducation,then
youempowerthemwiththetoolstheymightneedtofillup
theirgestalt,”Nussbaumsays.“That’sgoingtoleadtobetter
outcomes.”
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Restaurant “Alonzo’s” at life-plan community
The Mather outside Chicago. Named after
founder Alonzo Mather and inspired by his
penchant for sailing and expedition, this dining
space focuses on the Mediterranean diet, with
meals from Italy, France, Greece and North
Africa. (PhotoscourtesyofTheMather)
The Body: Teaching seniors to care about nutrition
FromDNA-customizeddietstoafocusonnon-GMOingredientsandorganics,Americansofallagesare
increasingtheirdemandsforwellness-basedfoodandnutrition.Withitsmassivepopulationtowhichit
deliversthreemealsaday,seniorlivingisinauniquepositiontoexecuteandexpandonhealthyeating.
Facedwithanimpendinghealth-consciousbabyboomer
population,seniorlivingprovidersarefocusingonadining
experiencethatincludesmoderntrendssuchasfarm-to-table
food,on-site“fastcasual”eateries—characterizedasfast,healthy
andtransparentinpreparation,likeChipotle—andmeatlessand
veganmenus.
Thisputsanewemphasisontheage-oldadage,“youarewhatyou
eat.”Thesehealthyeatinginitiativescatertotheyoungersenior’s
demandsforbothhealthyeatingandgreaterchoice.Butsome
providersarealsospendingmoretimeteachingtheirresidents
aboutfoodingredientsandtheinterconnectednatureofdiet,
nutrition,fitnessandhealth.
AtTheMather,alife-plancommunityinsuburbanChicago,thediningteamcollaborateswiththefitness
teamtodiscusswithresidentstheirrelatedneedsinbothareas.TheMatherthencustomizesmealsto
eachresident’srequest,andempowersthechefstoeducatethecooksandserversaboutfoodprepand
ingredients,sothatthestaffcantheneducatetheresidents.
“Ithinkmoreandmore,(seniorlivingresidents)aregoingtobelookingforahealthier,cleanerlistof
ingredients,”saysTheMather’sexecutivechefJeffreyMuldrow.
I think more and more, (senior living residents) are going to be looking for a healthier, cleaner list of ingredients.
JeffreyMuldrow,executivechefatlife-plancommunityTheMatherinsuburbanChicago
21T H E W E L L N E S S R E V O L U T I O N S H A P I N G S E N I O R L I V I N G
“We experience the arts to feel alive,” says Tim Carpenter,
CEO and founder of EngAGE, a nonprofit in Burbank,
California that provides whole-person, art-based
programming to senior living residents throughout the
state. EngAGE partners with Los Angeles-based developer
and owner Meta Housing to provide programming,
including to NoHo Senior Arts Colony in North Hollywood,
pictured here.(PhotocourtesyofMetaHousing)
The Spirit: Use food to create social engagement
AtNoHoSeniorArtsColony—anactiveadultcommunityinLosAngelesbuiltarounditsresidents’
sharedinterestinart—nonprofitEngAGEisinthemidstofastudyontheimpactthatparticipationin
theartscanhaveineliminatingisolationandlonelinessamongolderadults.
“Ourstudyisabouthowyoucreatetheoppositeeffectof
that,”saysTimCarpenter,CEOandfounderofEngAGEin
Burbank,California,whichprovideswhole-personart-based
programmingtoseniorslivingthroughoutthestate,including
atNoHo.“Thereisnopillforisolationorloneliness.”
Toeliminateloneliness,NoHo’sfocusontheartsisfollowed
byfoodandfitness,allwithaneducationaltwist.The
communityoffershealthycookingclasses,andthosebeginat
thefarmer’smarket,educatingresidentsnotjusthowtoeat
andcookhealthy,buthowtoshophealthy.
ToCarpenter,wellnessisaboutcreatinghealthybehaviors.
EngAGEdoesthatbybuildingprogrammingthatencouragespeopletochangethewaytheylive.
EngAGEtiestogetherdiningandnutritionwithanotherdimensionofwellness:thesocial.
“Ithinkalotofpeoplegotofarmer’smarkets,one,tobuyhealthyfreshfood,andtwo,becauseit’sa
placewhereinteresting,like-mindedpeoplehangout,”Carpentersays.
NoHothenattachestheshoppinglessonsintocookinglessons,andattachesthecookinglessonsand
thesubsequentmealsintosocialevents.
“Wedefinitelyusefoodas…areasontocomedownandplay,”Carpentersays.“It’sreallyabouttrying
tocreateasenseofbuzzaroundtherighttypeofbehavior.”
We definitely use food as a reason to come down and play. It’s really about trying to create a sense of buzz around the right type of behavior.
TimCarpenter,CEOandfounderofEngAGE,Inc.
22T H E W E L L N E S S R E V O L U T I O N S H A P I N G S E N I O R L I V I N G
THE CUTTING-EDGE TECH
DELIVERING WELLNESSMajortechplayersareontheforefrontofwellness,withseniorlivingproviderspoisedtobenefitasa
result.Heavyhittersinclude:
• Amazon, whichhasbuilta“health&wellness”teamwithinitsAlexadivisiongearedtoseniorliving
• Samsung,whoseHealthCareVerticalTeamworksonhealthtechsolutions,includingvirtualreality
for seniors
• IBM,whoseIBMWatsonHealthdepartmentpowersarangeofhealthcaretechinareasincluding
oncologyandautomatedcaremanagement
• Facebook,whichin2014paid$2billiontoacquirevirtualrealitycompanyOculusVR
That’sjusttheconsumer-facingproducts.Itdoesn’taccountforwhateverinnovationswillcomefrom
Amazon,Apple,Googleandothertechcompaniesthatdevelopnewhealthcareandwellnesssystems
fortheirownemployees.
Whetherentertainingaseniororhelpingherlivesafely,newtechproductsarealreadychangingtheway
wellnessisdeliveredinseniorliving.
The technological backbone of today’s wellness environment
Buildingawellnessenvironmentbringstechnologicaldemands.
Fromthepersonalinternetneedsofentertainmentandlifestyle(theemotional,socialandevenspiritual
aspectsofwellness)tothehealth-andcomfort-basedinternetneedsforhealthcareandfitness(the
physicalpieceofwellness),community-wideWi-Fiinthemodernseniorlivingcommunityisamust.
Thatmeansinstallingatechnologicalbackbonethatletsresidentsandstaffeasilyusetheirsmart
devicesanywhereoncampus.Therearetwocomponents.Thefirstiscablingthatfacilitateswireless
coverage.Norterreusesa500-megabyteinternetlinetocreatecampus-widewirelessinternet,andthen
hasaseparate,privateinternetnetworkthatrunsitsnurse-callsystem.
Nextiscampuscellularservice.Thesetwoelements—theWi-Fiandthecellular—laythegroundwork
forpotentiallythenext10yearsoftechnologicalinnovations,andhelpfacilitatenotjustsmartunitsbut
smartcommunities.
OneseniorlivingproviderworkingtowardsmartcommunitiesisBigRockSeniorHousing,whichowns
twoCCRCsinFloridaandhasfourcommunitiesthatwillbreakgroundin2018and2019.
23T H E W E L L N E S S R E V O L U T I O N S H A P I N G S E N I O R L I V I N G
BigRock’sexistingpropertiesopenedinNovember2017andApril2018.TheyarefullyWi-Fi-connectedand
utlizeLTE/4Gcellulartechnologiestoboostcellularsignalinthebuilding.BigRockdoesn’tinstalllandlines
inresidentrooms,viewingthemasobsolete.TheypartneredwithBocaRaton,Florida-basedWhoopWireless
todesignandinstallitsCellularDistributedAntennaSystem,orDAS,toensurestrongcellularserviceacross
theentirecampus.
TheolderoftheirtwocommunitiesisVillagesofWindsorinBoyntonBeach,
Florida,a22-acreCCRCmanagedbyAtriaSeniorLiving.Foracommunitythis
size,acomprehensivetechnologicalbackbonecostsroughly$1million.BigRock
VicePresidentofOperationsSeanNealonestimates$450,000forthecellularand
$200,000to$300,000forthecabling.
Thatdeliversanenterprise-gradenetworkthatletsresidents,staffandfamily
membersusetheirtechwithease.Thisisn’tjustaboutaccommodatingtechneeds.
Becausesomuchofmodernwellnessisdeliveredthroughtechnology,senior
livingprovidersneedtheinfrastructurethatcansupportnotjusttoday’swellness
technology,buttomorrow’s.
Campus-wide Wi-Fi matters for wellness
Connectivityhelpsdrivemanyofthemodernwellnessinitiativesthataretechnology-rooted.Norterre,
forinstance,wantsitsassistedlivingresidentswhowearafall-monitoringsystemtobeabletotravelthe
campuswithoutworryingthatwordoftheirfallwon’tbecapturedduetobeinginaninternetdeadspot.
Fromanentertainmentperspective,NorterrewantsresidentstobeabletowatchNetflixontheiriPads
wherevertheygo.Norterre’snurse-callsystemrunsthroughsecureWi-Fi.
Likewise,allequipmentinthefitnessroomatBigRock’sVillagesofWindsorisfromNewJersey-based
Technogym,whichcallsitself“theleadingcompanyinthefitnessandwellnesssector.”AllTechnogym
equipment—fromtreadmillstostationarybikestoweights—collectshealthandfitness-relateddataduring
aresident’sworkouts,whichisthensharedwiththeirpersonaltrainers.
One of the cafes at 150-bed wellness center FutureCare
Capital Region. The community is basically a skilled nursing
facility built around the dimensions and principles of
wellness — among those principles is the relationship
between a person’s diet and attention to nutrition, and that
person’s health.(PhotobyVinceLuppo,ofDirectionOne)
$1 millionFora22-acreCCRC,BigRock
SeniorLivingestimatesthecost
ofacomprehensivetechnological
backboneatroughly$1million.
Cellular system:about$450k
Wi-Fi cabling: about$200k-$300k
24T H E W E L L N E S S R E V O L U T I O N S H A P I N G S E N I O R L I V I N G
BigRockalreadyviewsitstwoexisting
communitiesastechnologicallyoutdated.That’s
becausetheyaren’tyetsmartcommunities,
whichthefournewcommunitieswillbe.Those
willhavetheAmazonAlexasystembuiltinto
thewallsandceilings,whichwillmakeallofthe
apartmentsfullyvoice-activated.
That’smusictoAmazon’sears:inMay2018,
CNBClearnedviaaninternalAmazondocument
thatthetechgianthasbuiltateamwithin
itsAlexadivisioncalled“health&wellness.”
Theteam’sjobwillbetotailorAmazonEcho
speakersandtheAlexavoiceassistanttothe
healthcaresector,makingiteasierforsenior
livingproviderstooutfitresidentrooms—and
later,fullcommunities—withsmarttechnology.
Likeeveryotherareaoflife,wellnessis
becomingsmart.Beds,canes,clothes,flooring,
lights,scales,silverware,toilets,window
panes—alloftheseitemscomewith“smart”
versions,joiningtheubiquitoussmartphoneand
theever-more-commonsmartTVasstandards
inAmericanlife.Wellness-centeredsmart
roomsarethenextstep,withtechnologythat
willguidearesident’sentire
interactionwithhisorher
physicalsurroundings.
NewJersey-basedJuniper
Communities,forinstance,
isdevelopingsmartsuites,
withtwoalreadyinuse.They
utilizeseveralsmartelements,
includingdoorlocks,lights,
thermostatsandtelevision.
“It’sprettycustomizableto
whatevertheresidentwould
wantandneed,”saysVickie
Stotler-Smith,nationaldirector
ofsalesandmarketingat
Juniper,whichoffersthefull
continuumofcareacrossits
portfolio.
Dependingontheoptionstheresidentwants,
theroomscost$1,000forJunipertodevelop,
thoughthatisjustforthesupplieswithinthe
room,nottheinfrastructure.Juniperisexploring
bothAmazonAlexaandGoogleHomeasthe
in-roompersonalassistants.
How smart technology can deliver wellness environments
Two senior living communities from
Juniper Communities offer smart
suites, including Kevo door locks
from Lake Forest, California-based
Kwikset. The resident has a fob or
phone app that lets her unlock the
door by touching it. (Photocourtesy
ofJuniperCommunities)
VillagesofWindsoralsohasmovietheaterscreeningroomsforresidententertainment,broadcasting
exclusivelyin4K,thehighestcurrentlevelofpixelation.
MicahSmithistheservicesaccountexecutiveoutoftheAtlantaofficeofPivotTechnologiesSolutions.
HecurrentlyworkswithBigRockPartnersonalltechnologyareas.Ifacommunitythatlacksthe
comprehensivebackbonewantstoembedAlexaintothewalls,oraddsomeyet-to-be-imaginedwellness-
centeredtechnologythatmightcropupinthenext10years,thatprocesscouldtakemonths,Smith
says.
“Seanandthoseguyscoulddothatwithin24to48hours,”hesays.
“Theindividualhastodrivewellness,”Nealonsays,“butwewanttohelpwiththat.Wewanttoassist
withthatlifelonggoalofhealthy,successfulaging,anddoingitinamodernway.”
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Virtual reality delivers new experiences and connection
Whenmostpeoplethinkofvirtualreality,theyprobablythinkofaheadsetthattransportsthewearer
toanotherlocation.WhenFacebookpurchasedOculusVR,FacebookfounderandCEOMarkZuckerberg
saidasmuch.
“Oculus’smissionistoenableyoutoexperiencetheimpossible,”Zuckerbergsaidinastatementin
2014.“Theirtechnologyopensupthepossibilityofcompletelynewkindsofexperiences.”
Thesenewexperiencesarenowbeingdevelopedspecifically
forseniors,aimedathelpingtheagingpopulationsolve
problemsoflackofmobilityandincreasedisolation.
Thatisthepowerofvirtualexpeditions.
KyleRandco-foundedVRexpeditionplatformRendever
afterwatchinghisgrandmotherdeterioratementallyand
physicallywhenshemovedintoseniorlivingfollowinga
secondcancerdiagnosis.Adeveloperbytrade,Randsetout
tohelpenergizeandactivateseniorsstuckintheirsenior
livingrooms.
Duringhisteam’sresearch,theylearnedaboutthestrongcorrelationbetweensocialisolationandboth
depressionandcognitivedecline.Further,theyfoundthattherewasashighasa50%rateofreported
isolationinseniorlivingcommunities.
Oculus’s mission is to enable you to experience the impossible. Their technology opens up the possibility of completely new kinds of experiences.
MarkZuckerberg,CEOandfounderofFacebook
A man at Maplewood Senior Living at
Strawberry Hill in Connecticut wears
Rendever virtual reality with Samsung
GearVR for a virtual expedition.(Photo
courtesyofRendever)
26T H E W E L L N E S S R E V O L U T I O N S H A P I N G S E N I O R L I V I N G
Henowdevelopsandsellsvirtualrealityplatforms
focusedondeliveringbothgroupandindividual
experiencestoseniors.Theseexperienceshavemultiple
benefitsforseniors.Theyletthemvisitplacesthey
couldneverotherwisego,orplaceswheretheyhave
notbeenindecades.Andtheyletthemsharethese
experienceswiththeirfellowresidents,sparking
conversation,nostalgiaandthedeepbondsforged
withtravelandsharedexperiences.
“WelookatVRasthisamazing,innovativetechnology,
butthatinitiallywasonlyusedforgaming,forkids—
thingsthatdon’tnecessarilyfocusonsocialgood,”
Randsays.“Butwhenyouthinkofitfromahighlevel,
youcanputonaheadsetandbeanywhereinthe
world,andyoucanbedoinganything.Whatbetter
populationthanseniors,whohavehadalifetimeof
experiencesandarenowatthepointintheaging
processwhere,duetomobilityissues,healthissues,
whateveritis,they’restuckinasmallersettingand
theiraccesstotheworldhasshrunken.Werealizedthis
wastheperfectapplication.”
OneofRendever’smottosis“Whenyourresidentsare
happy,you’rehappy.”That’swhatthecompanyaims
todeliver:theemotionalandspiritualsideofwellness.
Theexperiencesincludetraveltofarawaysitesor
visitingthestreetorevenhousewhereonegrewup.
Andbecauseit’svirtualreality,thetravelexperiences
haveanaddedelementofimpossibleperspective.You
don’tjustvisittheChristtheRedeemerstatueinRio—
yousitonthestatue’sshoulder,98feetintheair.You
don’tjustgotoMardiGrasinNewOrleans—yousiton
topofparadefloatsandtossbeadsintothestreet.
In2017,MITstudentCharlesLincompleted
histhesisinconjunctionwithMITAgeLaband
BenchmarkSeniorLiving,inwhichhestudied
morethan60assistedlivingresidentswhoused
anexpedition-basedvirtualrealityprogramfrom
VR-companyRendevertocombattheirdepression,
comparedtofellowresidentswhowatchedthe
sameprogrammingonaflat-screenTV.Among
theresults:
• Aftertwoweeksusingtheplatform,
residentsusingtheVRexperiencedanoverall
improvementintheirhealth
• ResidentswithVRfeltimprovementsintheir
socialandphysicalwell-being
• ResidentswithVRbecamesignificantlyless
likelytobecomenervous
• ResidentswithVRshowedsignificantlybetter
resultscomparedtotheTVgroupinphysical
well-being,overallhealthandsatisfaction
withthetechnologyitself
• TheVRgrouphadalowerdepressionscore
thantheTVgroup
The evidence behind virtual reality and wellness
We look at VR as this amazing, innovative technology, but that initially was only used for gaming, for kids — things that don’t necessarily focus on social good. But when you think of it from a high level, you can put on a headset and be anywhere in the world, and you can be doing anything.
KyleRand,co-founderofRendever
27T H E W E L L N E S S R E V O L U T I O N S H A P I N G S E N I O R L I V I N G
Rendever’splatformcurrentlyusesall
Samsunghardware,whileatAtriaatFoster
SquarenearSanFrancisco,residentsare
takingvirtualexpeditionsthroughGoogleVR.
TheseresidentshavevisitedtheGreatWall
ofChina,MachuPicchuinPeruandeventhe
InternationalSpaceStation.
VRisbeingusedinhealthcare,too.
AppliedVRinLosAngelesisaconsumer-grade
virtualrealitysystemdesignedtotreatpain,
helpingseniorsandothersduringrehab
stints,surgeriesoranxietyoverchronicpain.
IrisVisioninPleasanton,California,usesVR
gogglestoaugmentsightforthehard-of-
seeing.
“OftenwewriteoffnewtechnologyandsomethinglikeVRasbeingforyoungerpeople,butifyou
cangetaseniortotryit,theresponseisevenbettermosttimesthanwiththeyoungerperson,”says
JoshSackman,co-founderofAppliedVR.“Itfeelsrealandprovidesrealbenefit.Theexperiencetrulyis
emotionallytransformational,andshouldn’tbesomethingthatisseenastoofuturistic.”
Often we write off new technology and something like VR as being for younger people, but if you can get a senior to try it, the response is even better most times than with the younger person. It feels real and provides real benefit. The experience truly is emotionally transformational, and shouldn’t be something that is seen as too futuristic.
JoshSackman,co-founderofAppliedVR
AnexampleofaseniorusingtheSWORD
PhoenixsystemfromSWORDHealth,which
deliversin-home,digitalrehabwithanartificial
intelligence-powereddigitaltherapist.Theview
ontheleftshowstheimagethattheusersees
onhisscreen.(imageviaswordhealth.com)
28T H E W E L L N E S S R E V O L U T I O N S H A P I N G S E N I O R L I V I N G
In2017,theWashington Postanalyzeddatacollectedbydata-driventrendswebsiteFiveThirtyEight.com to
projecttheageoftheoldestpersononEarththroughtheyear2100.In1955,theoldestpersononEarth
was113.Today,theoldestpersonis117.By2050,theWashington Postprojectstheoldestpersontobe
120;by2100,theoldestpersonwillbe125.
Thatlist,alongwiththeU.S.CensusBureaupopulationprojections,paintapictureofjusthowoldthe
worldwillcontinuetobe,andjusthowstarkseniors’wellnessneedswillbe.
Thetechnologiesandmethodologiesthatwilldeliverwellnesstothesepeopleare,inthatrespect,
somethingofamystery.Fromfullysmart,voice-activatedcommunitiesthatgiveacomprehensive
readingofaroom’sphysicalpropertiesdowntothemolecularleveltorobotcaregiverstogreater
implementationoftelehealthtoadeeperunderstandingofnutritionalneeds—thefutureofwellnessin
seniorlivingiswideopen.
Yetwhateveritlookslike,thedimensions
ofwhole-personwellnessandtheprovider’s
abilitytocareforhumanswillremainatthe
core.
“Wellness—therearealotofcomponentsto
it,butifyoufeelyou’reapartofsomething
andyoufeellikeyou’reconnectedtoyour
neighbors,thelikelihoodofengaginginthese
programsismuchhigher,”saysCarpenterof
EngAGE.
“Alotoftimes,thereasonspeoplemoveinto
theseplacesisthelossofaspouse.That’sa
lonely,scaryplacetobe.There’snoinstruction
manualonhowtodothis.Noonehands[a
senior]apamphlettosay,‘Thisishowit’s
done.’That’swhatwe’retherefor.”
THE WELLNESS REVOLUTION
IS HERE TO STAY
Source:WashingtonPostandFiveThirtyEight
Baby boomers demand wellness—andtheywillbealivealongtimetodoso
125
120
115
110
105
100
1950 1975 2000 2025 2050 2075 2100
YEARS
PROJECTION
120.23
122.84
125.45
AGEATDEATHOF
WORLD’SOLDESTPEOPLE
Formoreseniorhousingresearch,visittheSenior Housing Industry News Resource Library