Clark Retirement Group

As future designers, we should remember we design for them as well.  I saw this and couldn't  resist sharing with the group.  Although everyone seems happy in the video, I began to ask - Are they really?  As I was reading Native To Nowhere,  Beatley sparked 2 thoughts that I began to ponder.  First, he spoke of our elders in our communities and the advantages they could give to our future.  I hope this is not offensive to anyone, especially to any elderly people, who are biting at the bit to get online and read "Doling The Daily Grind" but typically, I view elderly centers such as these as prisons without bars.  Drastic you say?  The ones I have visited in the last 6 years have codes that you have to enter to get out.  In other words it is controlled entry and exit - state penitentiaries have the same system.  That is no way to live out the rest of your life. Is this something that our senior citizens desire or is this something they have been conditioned to accept?  There is a reason Sophia gasped anytime Dorothy mentioned sending her to "The Home".    Secondly,  urban sprawl destroys any independence that our senior citizens may have had due to the exclusive design around the automobile.  Now, don't get me wrong.  I like being able to get into my car and being able to go as I please; however, I believe as future designers, it is incumbent of us to remember our senior citizens when designing  - in 30 - 40 years we'll be in their shoes.  We can design for both car and pedestrian.  They should be able to have the goods and services available to them within walking distance in hopes that they will remain in our communities to offer insight for our future. Instead, our society as of now sticks them in a group home in the middle of pasture land on the fringe of town with nothing around them except a black top parking lot and well.....cows.  If they can drive, we force them to drive a distance to the nearest store or gas station.  We can do better than that as a society.  Our senior citizens deserve better than that.  Maybe that is why our senior centers have been conditioned to become prisons without bars - they do not want my grandmother to become a live game of Frogger.  The little green speck represents my grandmother.  Directly to her north is a nice representation of sprawl and the "American Dream" it proclaims it instills - wide lanes to get the cars through.  My grandmother can see her life flashing before her if she even attempts at crossing this type of street design.  It is suicide.

Disclaimer:  This is not to say that Clark Retirement Community is not a wonderful place to live.  I just wonder if this is what our senior citizens really desire.