With the Silver Tsunami upon us, multiple studies show that by the year 2030, close to 40% of the US Population will be over the age of 65. The Baby Boomers will be looking for new options in senior housing as innovation progresses in caring for seniors. With the cost of eldercare rising, and many Boomers have no savings for the future, there will be a significant challenge in the future to provide for our aging population to live in somewhere safe with care around them, and to give our seniors their independence as long as possible.
Personally, with my Swedish heritage, (all my family on my mother’s side are from Sweden) I keep close attention to the culture and the traditions of the Swedish people, and it’s is very much entwined into my life.
Queen Silvia of Sweden has a very personal connection to the cause as her late mother, Alice de Toledo Sommerlath, suffered from Alzheimer’s disease. This inspired Queen Silvia to start her foundation Silviahemmet, which provides training on dementia and Alzheimer’s care to hospital personnel as well as carrying out research in the area.
Now her foundation is collaborating with IKEA and their co-subsidiary organization called BoKlok; a modular home organization based in Sweden to provide a new kind of housing solution that could truly have an impact here in the USA. In Sweden, BoKlok (pronounced “book look”, is Swedish for “smart living.”) has created over 11,000 sustainable houses at an economical price throughout Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Norway, and soon to be in the UK. Now their next generational concept is expanding into making housing affordable and adaptable for the needs of seniors- especially those with memory impairments. Together as a team, IKEA, BoKlok and Queen Silvia, are creating a modular home program, unique in concept, for Alzheimer’s patients.
Being personally involved from the ground floor up, Queen Silvia was intimately involved in helping to design these homes. The first one of its kind is being built outside of Stockholm, called SilviaBo. They are especially designed to be supportive environments for those with Alzheimer’s disease, the homes will include tactile and digital panels that help with safety and will also help to prevent disorientation. According to a CNN Business report, the housing will also offer light-colored parquet flooring and will not have mirrors, which can be frightening to someone with Alzheimer’s, and they will help to guide a memory impaired resident easily around the environment.
For a senior who is not memory impaired, modular villages can bring about independence, socialization, and safety to live at home longer. Communities here in the USA can be a great way to live independently with yard, and still have homecare nearby on staff. A next-generation modular community can offer being part of a village where resources are close by can be shared economically amongst all residents and can truly offer the best of everything!
Communities like SilviaBo; the grounds will have therapeutic gardens and areas for social interaction like coffee shops, a small grocery store, and social clubs. The complex can also provide health and wellness services with staff on premises. Being modular in design, there is truly no limit to the types of services and activities that a community of this kind can offer! Best of all, all materials are sustainable, and they are an affordable price!
We all know IKEA as a home solution giant, however this collaboration with Queen Silvia can have a massive impact in making solutions for seniors and Alzheimer’s patients to “age in place.” It helps families to afford care in the home and make it more affordable and accessible. The homes can be customized and easily assembled on-site and can accommodate the massive population increase of the Baby Boomers in the USA in the future quickly and sustainably, without a harsh impact on the environment.
The housing will be between two-four stories and host a mix of between one-two bedroom apartments. SliviaBo is now being completed outside of Stockholm and they will be securing land for future communities soon. Key features of SilviaBo that will make this a project worth noting for seniors will include accessible wide entrances, flat walkways, and minimal thresholds that can accommodate wheelchairs, walkers and ADA modifications. There will be smart panels that can accommodate automatic door-openers and extra lighting as well. Many features will be tailored specifically for people affected by dementia, including clear and enlarged signage, low shower walls, heat sensors for stoves, and a calming interior finishing for all the rooms.
In Sweden, lower-income SilviaBo homeowners will only pay what they can afford after taxes and living expenses to live there, and given that the modular building costs are low, the overall expenses are scaled down by following the high-volume IKEA model.
According to Royal Central, Queen Silvia was made an Honorary Ambassador of Alzheimer’s Disease International in 2018 in honor of her strong commitment to both end-of-life care as well as the elderly.
IKEA and Queen Silvia’s foundation have worked as partners throughout this project. The owner of IKEA himself, Ingvar Kamprad, also made large donations to the project according to CNN Business’ report.
