Seniors Have Choices: New options for assisted living in Anchorage.

• Author: Lavrakas, Dimitra
• Position: HEALTHCARE

Alaska's population over the age of 65 topped 100,000 for the first time in 2021. This age group is projected to grow faster than any other cohort for the next decade or so. The Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development's September issue of Alaska Economic Trends anticipates a rising tide of seniors until a peak in 2035, when the oldest Baby Boomers reach 90.

This demographic pulse needs somewhere to live. When Boomers were younger, options for their parents or grandparents were often limited to a full-service nursing home or toughing it out alone or with family during their golden years. These days, though, Alaskans have more options, ranging from independent living to assisted living and even specialized dementia care.

Alaska Native corporations, housing authorities, private companies, and the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation are busy building innovative senior housing and care complexes.

Fulfilling Development

The first phase of the East View Assisted Living project opened in mid-October as a home-style approach to senior living.

Five individual homes, all with a unique name and color scheme and accommodating five residents each, are opening in phases. The Brooks house is the first and is being followed by Augustine, Chugach, Denali, and Edgecumbe in early 2023.

With lots of windows, stunning mountain views from its spot at the top of a hill, bright rooms bathed in natural light, high ceilings, and cheery spaces, each home has been designed to create a comfortable living experience for residents,

Residents are charged for room and board separately from supportive services provided by 24-hour staff. "The costs vary on type of room and individual needs of residents," says Erica Miller, manager of East View, an Anchorage-based company that built the homes with private funding.

"At East View, we approach senior care understanding that each day entrusted to us is ever increasing in value during this phase of life," states James Drayton, East View director. "We recognize that each day should be lived with purpose, incorporating elements that bring joy and fulfillment. This is done by providing our customers with a space designed by Alaskans, for Alaskans based on their unique values. Through thoughtful design, our program uses clients' input to shape environment, cuisine, activities, and, ultimately, relationships that make a house a home."

Design for Dementia

Tucked in the woods off Tudor Road in Anchorage's hospital district...