The United States may need more than one million additional senior housing units by 2035, but the growing demand is also raising questions about whether existing retirement communities can meet the changing needs and expectations of older people.
According to projections by NIC MAP, the senior housing sector will require about 576,000 additional units by 2030 and more than one million by 2035 to keep occupancy around 90 per cent.
The figures come as more than 10,000 Americans turn 65 daily, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services, while the oldest members of the Baby Boomer generation turn 80 in 2026.
But Allison Combs, writing in Newsweek, argues that expanding housing supply alone will not address the challenges of an ageing population. She said senior living communities must also provide environments that allow older people to remain independent, socially connected and actively involved in their communities.
Combs noted that longer life expectancy is changing the traditional understanding of retirement, which was once largely associated with leaving work and settling into a period of rest.
She said many older Americans now want to continue learning, pursuing personal interests, sharing their experience and maintaining meaningful relationships after leaving full-time employment.
Citing Fidelity Investments’ 2026 State of Retirement Planning Study, she said 72 per cent of surveyed Americans expected to retire on their own terms, while nearly seven in 10 were considering non-traditional retirement arrangements.
The study also found that 61 per cent intended to move into retirement through options such as consulting, entrepreneurship, gig work and other forms of continued engagement.
Combs said these changing expectations required senior living operators to rethink how their facilities were designed and managed, rather than treating residents mainly as people who needed care and accommodation.
She pointed to mobility, social relationships, intellectual activities and personal freedom as important factors in determining the quality of life in old age.
She also cited Harvard Health Publishing’s distinction between lifespan and healthspan, explaining that living longer does not necessarily mean remaining healthy and independent for longer.
Beyond the need for new housing, Combs drew attention to the condition of existing facilities, noting that more than two in five senior housing properties are over 25 years old.
She said older facilities would need modernisation to provide accessible spaces, opportunities for exercise and learning, social interaction and different levels of care as residents’ needs change.
Combs argued that these provisions should not be treated as optional amenities but as essential features of communities designed to support older people.
She also urged operators to involve residents in decisions about their daily lives, including the choice of educational programmes, guest speakers, interest groups and other community activities.
According to her, allowing older people to contribute their knowledge, experiences and preferences would help preserve their identity and sense of purpose.
She said both new and existing senior living facilities needed flexible designs and programmes that could adapt to residents’ changing circumstances instead of forcing them into rigid arrangements.
Combs made the observations in an opinion article published by Newsweek on October 29, 2026.
