COVID-19 has devastated the U.S. retirement community like no other population.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the COVID-19 death toll linked to U.S. nursing homes and other long-term care facilities has surpassed 100,000. And, according to data published by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the nursing and retirement homes hardest hit by the pandemic were those with more residents living in close quarters, owned by large corporations, offering full services as opposed to focused care.

The impact of COVID-19 will leave lasting changes on senior housing and care long after the virus is gone. One trend that had been gaining momentum even before the pandemic was one towards smaller environments (16 residents and under). The pandemic has only accelerated this trend as larger facilities have seen the highest rates of infections and deaths.

These “small-house” facilities were well-suited to handle the disruptions of the pandemic by keeping residents at safe distances while still being able to meet their needs. Also, because of the high caregiver to resident ratio, individual residents were given the attention and care needed to stay connected to family, loved ones and medical professionals as communication went remote.

The agility of small residential facilities and their adaptability to the pandemic only boosted their profile during the pandemic as family members rushed to move their loved ones out of big-box communities into smaller facilities.

This agility and adaptability to the current pandemic and resistance to future outbreaks and disruptions will only boost the popularity of these small facilities in 2021 and going forward.

Another major trend that is expected to accelerate in 2021 and beyond is the focus away from the reactive care-first mindset and one more towards a proactive focus on health and wellness. This focus on health and wellness will only gain steam in 2021 after the experience of 2020 where seniors who were hardest hit and most vulnerable to the virus were those who were already sick or suffering from an underlying condition.

According to a survey by the International Council on Active Aging, 60% of respondents said their retirement community will be based on a wellness lifestyle by 2023.

To accomplish this goal, five types of wellness programs will increase within communities:

• Education and lifelong learning.
• Exercise (led by both instructors and technology).
• Health education and disease management.
• Food and nutrition education and preparation.
• Intergenerational programs linking youth and older adults.

A focus on wellness would seek to prevent or mitigate future vulnerabilities in residents and the small residential environment is ideal for promoting a wellness lifestyle.

After the lessons learned from COVID-19 in 2020, the path forward in the senior housing market is headed towards more agile and adaptable centers able to confront challenges quickly and efficiently with a focus on prevention.

Just like smaller classrooms that are more conducive to learning for students, smaller senior facilities – whether focused on assisted or independent living – are more conducive to promoting a healthy lifestyle with a focus on wellness where residents can receive the individual care they need that can’t be found in large facilities.