By Bill Witte, Creator of the Vital Life Community Program Principles

Because I am an architect and planner who specializes in the design of senior living communities, I happen to serve those who are “most-at-risk.” They are Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs) and their residents, the aging resident population.

After fifteen years in this sector of design and planning service, I have learned that CCRCs are like all other business plans for which I have designed in my career, and that is that they must innovate and change to stay relevant in a changing market place. Failure to grow means problems, financial strain, and possibly going out of business.

I am sure you are aware that many services and products will eventually become commoditized. When that occurs, smaller businesses providing those services are either bought up or must “refit” to become unique enough to survive the inevitable onslaught of emerging programs that seek to replace them.

It is no different with senior services. Very large corporate programs are expanding and buying up strategic sites, programs, and operating communities. Other allied housing and service providers are busy as well, creating a myriad of new products to allow them to position themselves for the much anticipated “Age Wave.”

Many communities such as yours are into their second cycle or are in the process of doing so. They then immediately have to anticipate their third cycle, and the reality that a transition may be required much earlier than they ever deemed necessary. The robust and fast developing senior services sector is undergoing a metamorphosis like never before experienced in the annals of the “American Experience,” preparing for this truly indefinable market.

I soon wondered, how can mission driven communities compete and be prepared? The solution I found was they, like any CCRC that wants to remain viable, may offer the public something that was valuable; priceless. Good health! Not only good health but better health! I first spoke of this new concept in Anaheim, CA. in the fall of 2000 as I addressed “The Symposium On Healthcare Design” attendees with my program entitled “Is Design A Long-term Healthcare Solution?”

In my research for this talk, I discovered that design did indeed contribute more than just “barrier-free” market attractive products that enable the owners to reach and attract market share. If a community was designed properly as a prescription response to the mandate for maximum health benefits, it could create and sustain a vital population of aging seniors. Wow! A new direction, but it would require a new program!

Five years later, literally after thousands of hours of research, testing, implementing pilot programs, and engaging in dialogue with scores of my like minded colleagues, the “Vital Life Program” evolved. Of course, it started with the notion that proper design choices can indeed enhance life quality and health. But, then the idea grew. How can every community enhance and sustain resident health and happiness, regardless of funding? Program Implementation! Culture Change! Having the knowledge that true well-being for our resident client means total health. We need to understand that resident wellness means that every aspect of the whole human needs to be stimulated and prioritized. Those parts are Social, Nutritional, Physical, Emotional, Spiritual, Occupational, Intellectual, and Environmental. And, if these elements of the whole human are supported within a social construct, we can’t lose!

We aim to create a virtual co-op across America that is founded on sharing knowledge and experiences. We needed a structure, a health based construct, and a common language to enable fluid exchange over the knowledge marketplace. The idea blossomed and became the “Vital Life Community Program.”