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As the medical miracles of recent decades have allowed more and more people to live longer, a profound change has taken place in our society's demographic makeup: Senior citizens now represent a larger percentage of the population than ever before. With increasingly sophisticated medical techniques lengthening lifespans even further, and with baby-boomers expected to join the ranks of the seniors early in the next century, housing and caring for this large elderly population emerges as a key issue facing us in the coming years.
Raymond Goodman and Douglas Smith's Retirement Facilities brings these issues into focus, offering sensible and sensitive guidance to architects, interior designers, planners, facility operators, and students. Aware of the increasingly favorable market conditions for these facilities but never forgetting the special needs of those who will live there, Goodman and Smith provide the prescription for developing a successful, caring operation.
Since designing for elderly residents requires a broad range of special considerations, the authors treat this subject in detail, examining the phenomenon of aging in place, and showing how the physical realities of aging should be accounted for in such elements as furniture, signage, room layout, fixtures and furnishings, acoustics, and building configuration. The social and emotional aspects of aging are also discussed, with information on how designers can ease the transition from a resident's longtime home to the retirement facility.
Facility planners, developers, and operators will find a wealth of information as well, including specific advice on marketing, sales, and adapting to local zoning ordinances and related requirements. A special chapter on financing details the varied ways to fund such a project, and another on medical insurance guides readers through the often-confusing maze of Medicare, long-term care provisions, and the like. This unique mix of design and developmental information is also ideal for students planning to enter the hospitality field, and will make Retirement Facilities the definitive guide to these centers as more and more of them are built in the years to come.
