Description
<p>The US senior population is growing. However, many senior residents do not have the financial resources necessary for a basic standard of living. Their isolation and loneliness has been identified by experts as a great public health risk. Understanding community as an antidote to isolation, MASS Design Group has partnered with 2Life Communities to develop a model for high density housing that prioritizes resident connections and communal activities linked to aging well. This session will explore a framework that creates opportunities for meaningful communal programming at a variety of scales and increases access to green space, natural light, and fresh air. Using various projects in Massachusetts as case studies, we will discuss design strategies that connect seniors to the benefits of community. We will look at ways to balance the need for density and efficiency with the creation of healthy environments that help senior residents live better, longer.</p>
Key Learnings
- Leverage design as a tool to improve the lives of senior residents of affordable housing
- Identify opportunities to balance the need for efficiency with the creation of healthier environments for seniors
- Implement trauma-informed design strategies aimed at providing access to nature, natural light, and fresh air
- Employ lessons learned from the case studies to leverage common areas as an antidote to isolation