New York City’s Senior Housing Shortage

Construction manager Tony DiTucci is the president and COO of Livingston Associates. Previously the vice president of DGA Builders, LLC, based in Pittsford, New York, Tony DiTucci provided leadership and oversaw senior housing project development, delivering appropriate housing to seniors.

Senior housing is a critical need in New York. Since 2011, when the first crop of baby boomers retired, the population of America’s seniors has been steadily rising. With about 10,000 people retiring every day across the country, existing senior housing facilities are not enough to house this population.

In New York City, it is projected that by 2030 the population of residents aged over 65 years will hit 1.35 million, making up 14.8 percent of the population. Already, existing senior housing facilities are stretched to capacity. For those who want to get in, wait times are up to 10 years. According to LiveOn NY, the city’s estimated wait list has more than 200,000 names. In Manhattan community districts 7 and 9, for example, 19,700 seniors are waiting for only 45 annual affordable housing openings.

Left unresolved, this shortage will have terrible consequences. Homelessness is an example. Between 2007 and 2014, the number of seniors living in shelters in New York City rose 55 percent. It’s likely it will take the state government working hand in hand with community groups and the private sector to solve this problem.

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Interior Design Trends in Senior Housing

DGA Builders, LLC
Image: dgabuilders.com

Tony DiTucci has been the vice president of DGA Builders, LLC, in Pittsford, New York, since 2013. Among his many responsibilities, Tony DiTucci oversees the construction of senior housing facilities.

Pleasant and enjoyable senior living facilities are more than just brick-and-mortar structures. Substantial thought and planning must be invested in the interior design of the buildings to ensure both employee and resident satisfaction.

While the integration of technology into the living space is now routine in senior living residences, there are still areas for improvement. One of these is the use of LED lighting. In addition to the well-known potential for energy savings, the use of LED lights can promote better sleep patterns and reduce anxiety for residents through, for example, the coordination of lamp color with circadian rhythms.

Builders are also creating new senior housing with a greater emphasis on sociability. Dining rooms and fitness centers are increasingly becoming public spaces, and libraries are now often integrated into coffee shops rather than separate rooms to increase social interaction and engagement.

Technology Investments Improve Senior Housing Facilities

DGA Builders, LLC
Image: dgabuilders.com

Tony DiTucci serves as the vice president of DGA Builders, LLC, in Pittsford, New York. Among his many responsibilities, Tony DiTucci oversees the development of senior housing projects.

While technology investment in senior housing facilities has been an essential theme for the last several years, these investments are finally starting to deliver the promised dividends regarding resident satisfaction and staff productivity.

Beyond the simple convenience of WiFi, technology-based solutions are delivering valuable data for administrators to make better-informed decisions on everything from resident care to construction expansion.

In particular, the electronic health record (EHR) has become a valuable system to monitor the health and wellness of senior housing residents. Once confined only to skilled nursing facilities, the EHR now allows state-of-the-art facilities to track a resident’s health from the time he or she moves in and document the progress of his or her health over time. Such information can assist staff and family members to make informed decisions about whether a resident needs a new service or a more intensive level of care.