Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs) are an alternative for the traditional nursing home by offering independence and continued care within one facility or community. Residents move into these communities when they are still able bodied and as they age they can age in place and receive medical care as it becomes necessary that continues as long as they live there.
This research and design project examines using a downtown location as a vessel for a CCRC, specifically Indianapolis, Indiana. There are several senior communities throughout Indianapolis, but the majority are within the suburban or rural areas. This typically lends itself to a sprawl effect that minimizes the feeling of community rather than enhancing it. Cities are inherently vibrant because of the density and multiple layers of amenities and services.
Although locating a CCRC in an urban setting certainly helps aid in the activity level in and around the community, it cannot save it from being like any other retirement home. The question that must be answered is how can architecture promote interaction between seniors and their environment? This project examines architecture’s impact on the interaction of seniors with other residents and their interaction with the building and greater community.
To learn more about this project and the prospect of senior living, please contact us.