In 2010, 12.2 percent of New York City residents were 65 years or older. This number will increase to 15.6 percent in 2040, making the older adult population larger than that of school-aged children. As such, the built environment will need to be designed to meet the needs of this growing population, especially in housing and healthcare.
Traditionally, the design community has responded to this population’s needs through the creation of long-term care facilities. Today, architects, designers, and clinicians are focusing on creating environments that encourage wellness and healthy living for older adults outside the traditional senior care facility. Through the creation of age-friendly neighborhoods, geriatric emergency departments, and centers for healthy living, NYC will have a new paradigm to provide fitness, therapeutic, and cultural centers for seniors that can also become vibrant community resources.
Join the AIANY Design for Aging Committee for a discussion about the physical, emotional, and sensory changes that occur during the aging process and how the design of the built environment can provide support and facilitate independence whether at home, in a healthcare setting, or living in the community.
Speakers:
Esther Greenhouse, Environmental Gerontologist
Ula Hwang, MD, Associate Professor, Emergency Medicine, Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Mount Sinai Medical Center
Richard Rosen, AIA, Principal, Perkins Eastman
Moderator: Lindsay Goldman, Director, Healthy Aging, Center for Health Policy and Programs, New York Academy of Medicine
Organized by: AIANY Design for Aging Committee
