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By Andy Sedlak, Staff Writer 10:13 PM Monday, September 26, 2011

Editor’s note: This is the fourth of a

five-part series on ideas that will

transform the region.

MIDDLETOWN — A clock-towered Town Hall building is at the center of a 13-acre senior housing community on the campus of Lasell College in Newton, Mass. Its residents have access to art and dance studios, restaurant-style dining and educational programs overseen by an academic dean.

In Ann Arbor, Mich., non-pretentious city streets tie together a 92-unit condominium complex. For residents 55 and older, it’s nestled near the University of Michigan’s campus, and is home to many adults who work, volunteer or attend classes at Michigan.

Residence communities tied to major universities are attracting seniors interested in ongoing affiliations with local schools. Universities, in turn, have begun offering more accommodations to seniors.

These social services, particularly those centered in a residential community on or near a college campus, transform the dynamics of an area, said Dr. O’dell Owens, president of Cincinnati State Technical and Community College.

“...increasingly we’re seeing individuals who are coming to us just because we have courses that have always been of interest to them and they are now at the point in their lives where they have the luxury of indulging in that interest,” he said.

“Middletown, Hamilton — these are communities where this type of lifelong education center can become a reality,” Owens said. “What it takes are educational institutions that work in tandem with local officials, economic development groups, private businesses, and capital to better meet the needs of a changing population.”

The changing population

The number of seniors in Butler County are expected to double from 2000 to 2020, according to U.S. Census data. Ohio’s total population is expected to rise from the current 11.6 million to about 12.2 million in 2020, a 5 percent increase. In the same timeframe, Ohio’s 60 and older population is expected to grow from 2.1 million to 2.8 million, a 28 percent increase, according to Miami University’s Scripps Gerontology Center.

Gerard Badler, managing director of Campus Continuum, which consults with developers and colleges while planning, marketing and operating university-linked retirement communities, said research into university-linked senior housing has suggested interest is wide, and encompassing across the senior demographic.

In a survey conducted by Campus Continuum about four years ago, more than half of surveyed adults 55-75 said they liked the idea of retiring to a home on a college campus.

Additional surveys have inquired about retiring to specific colleges, Badler said, such as the University of Wisconsin or the University of Massachusetts.

“You might think that older people would prefer retiring to communities in warm weather climates but that doesn’t seem to be a critical issue,” Badler said.

Much-needed roles often await seniors at these colleges. A retired engineer could help students find jobs using a network of contacts or a retired reporter could assist with the school newspaper.

“I think there’s going to be a large demand for independent living units, basically college-styled apartments, that are tightly integrated with the academic host,” Badler said. “The university will allow residents to attend classes, encourage them to volunteer on campus and arrange opportunities to volunteer off campus, like in hospitals.”

Lasell Village

Seniors enter Lasell Village on the campus of Lasell College with an intent to keep learning. In fact, it’s required.

“The village, as far as we know, is the only continuing care retirement community that requires its residents to take 450 course hours every year,” said Michelle Gaseau, Lasell’s director of communications. “It’s part of that lifelong learning mission.”

Seniors have multiple options in taking these classes, Gaseau said. Credit can be earned on Lasell’s main campus or on the retirement community’s campus, where professors will often come to teach.

Attending cultural events — performances by the Boston Ballet or Boston Symphony Orchestra — also secure course credit.

“It’s not uncommon for these residents to have many more hours than they need,” Gaseau said.

Lasell Village celebrated its 10-year anniversary this past spring. According to Gaseau, there is a lengthy waiting list for seniors to enter the program.

“I think it’s very tricky and difficult to replicate,” she said. “You have to do it carefully, and put those interactions in place ... When people come to the village, they’re expected to be engaged and interact in this setting.”

The idea at home

The Knolls of Oxford, a nonprofit continuing care retirement community that has an ongoing partnership with Miami University, is settled on an 85-acre campus near the school. Becky Lukens, a resident, said she takes full advantage of Miami’s offerings.

“We have a van that will take us to lectures at the university, (or) musical performances,” she said. “There’s always a lot going on at Miami. It’s really an ideal situation, as far as I’m concerned.”

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