Providing affordable housing is often viewed as a "dollars and cents" versus "bricks and mortar" challenge. Developers and builders ask a very basic question when designing affordable housing: "What can be built for the price that a prospective owner or renter can afford to pay?" Balancing this equation usually means adding or subtracting livable space or amenities depending on the targeted market.
However, those who have faced the challenge of finding appropriate elderly housing realize that personal and family concerns make this "life choice" much more complex. As with any major change in one's life, adjusting where and how one lives is a difficult process. Whether adult children are seeking a place for their elderly parents or a senior adult is making personal choices about a more accommodating home, there are concerns that go well beyond "bricks and mortar" issues.
Understanding these other life-style concerns is an important element in creating elderly housing options. Idaho's elderly population is expected to grow to 350,000 by 2020, representing 20 percent of the projected total. This increase of over 200,000 people in the 65-or-older category will challenge developers and builders to meet a diverse set of housing needs and preferences. The number of Idahoans 85 and older is growing five times faster than Idaho's overall population. And, these life-style preferences are not likely to be the same as in past generations. Longer life expectancies, a healthier population, and more active life-styles will make elderly housing alternatives all the more varied.
