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Lexington has ‘significant’ need for more senior housing. Is co-living the solution?
BY BETH MUSGRAVE SEPTEMBER 21, 2023 7:00 AM
Golden Oaks by Anderson Communities where four single seniors live together with shared common space in Lexington, Ky, Monday, September 18, 2023.
The shared four bedroom home is pet friendly with utilities included in the price. Anderson Communities have plans to build similar accommodations in the future. SILAS WALKER [email protected]
It’s hard for Lucy Jackson to pinpoint what she likes most about her new co-living arrangement in McConnell’s Trace subdivision. Spacious bathrooms with walk-in showers. Built-in cabinets that allow a television to swivel between a living area and the bedroom. TOP VIDEOS Top Videos 00:30 01:30 UK football’s Marques Cox: ‘Once itwas rolling, it was rolling’ vs. Florida Living with and sharing laughs with women of a similar age. Golden Oaks, a ranch-style home that allows four seniors to live together in a shared living space, is a new concept of Anderson Communities. Jackson has her own mini-apartment that includes a sitting area large enough for a small couch, a bedroom and her own en-suite bathroom. She shares a large living space — with a spacious kitchen, sitting area in front of the television and multiple dining locations — with three other women. Call it a pseudo-dorm-style living but for seniors. For Jackson, it works. “I love it,” Jackson said recently as she stood in the kitchen.
Golden Oaks by Anderson Communities where four single seniors live together with shared common space in Lexington, Ky, Monday, September 18, 2023. The shared four bedroom home is pet friendly with utilities included in the price. Anderson Communities have plans to build similar accommodations in the future. Silas Walker [email protected]
Jackson had lived with family members and a senior independent living facility prior to moving to Golden Oaks. Neither living situation worked for Jackson. The senior living facility also provided meals. But
Jackson was frequently working and missed meals but she never got a discount on the rent, which started at $2,900 a month and quickly climbed. Golden Oaks does not provide food. The rent starts at $1,100 a month. That’s much cheaper than many senior independent living facilities. Dennis Anderson, of Anderson Communities, spent months researching senior living to figure out what worked and what didn’t. Anderson, who built McConnell’s Trace and is currently building Great Acres on Leestown Road, wanted to develop senior housing for middle class seniors who may not need all the amenities of senior independent living facilities. Anderson Communities specializes in mid-market “or missing middle homes.” Part of Anderson’s push to find an affordable solution for seniors was due to his mother’s search for housing in her later years.
Golden Oaks by Anderson Communities where four single seniors live together with shared common space in Lexington, Ky, Monday, September 18, 2023.
The shared four bedroom home is pet friendly with utilities included in the price. Anderson Communities have plans to build similar accommodations in the future. Silas Walker [email protected]
A CURE FOR ISOLATION, LONELINESS Co-living helps keep the monthly rent reasonable. But it also solves another health problem common among seniors, Anderson said. “Studies have also shown that loneliness is becoming a health concern,” Anderson said. That’s particularly true for the elderly. A National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine study found one in four seniors over the age of 65 live in social isolation. That social isolation can lead to increased risks for dementia, heart disease and other serious health complications, multiple studies have shown. A fourth roommate is expected to join Jackson, Brenda Cates and a third roommate soon. That woman is currently living in a one-bedroom apartment. She’s lonely, said Kristen McCollum, assistant director and development manager for Anderson Communities, who also oversees the Golden Oaks home. McCollum helped decorate and design the home. All the furnishings in the co-living space are provided by Anderson Communities. The tenants bring their own furnishings for their rooms. The home also has a garage for cars. They have access to a club house that has a pool and exercise facilities. McCollum and other Anderson Communities staff have also helped organize other activities like going to concerts. Cates likes that the home is in the middle of the neighborhood. She can frequently be found on the home’s front porch. She knows many of the neighbors by name, particularly the dog walkers. “They really look out for us,” Cates said of the neighbors. Cates, who moved from a senior independent living facility where she lived for about a month, said she prefers the freedom and independence of Golden Oaks. Anderson Communities plans to build more co-living homes for those 55 and up soon. How fast those new homes will be built depends on demand, McCollum said.
Golden Oaks by Anderson Communities where four single seniors live together with shared common space in Lexington, Ky, Monday, September 18, 2023. Silas Walker [email protected]
THE NEED FOR SENIOR LIVING IN LEXINGTON Many seniors struggle to find affordable and appropriate housing, national studies have shown. A 2019 study by a senior health care group found that between 80,000 and 140,000 new senior housing units will be needed across the country by 2030 to address housing for the aging Baby Boomer population. How many Fayette County residents 55 and older who need senior housing is not known. A new affordable housing study, which will provide data on the need for senior and other types of housing, will hopefully be completed in coming months. “It’s fair to say the need is significant,” said Charlie Lanter, Lexington’s Commissioner of Housing and Community Development. “We have built 774 units for elderly and/or disabled using affordable housing funds and those stay full. It’s increasingly difficult to find a place to rent if you’re on a fixed income as are most seniors.” To find out more about Golden Oaks go to andersoncommunities.com/golden-oaks-senior-living/.
Golden Oaks by Anderson Communities where four single seniors live together with shared common space in Lexington, Ky, Monday, September 18, 2023. The shared four bedroom home is pet friendly with utilities included in the price. Anderson Communities have plans to build similar accommodations in the future. Silas Walker [email protected]
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