For the past 15 years, senior housing proponents have been impatiently eyeing the aging baby boomer cohort. In 2011 the chant began: “Baby boomers are turning 65 — time to invest in senior housing.” But those recent retirees had better things to do than move into age-restricted or assisted-living communities.
Then it was, “They’re turning 70!”
Then, “They’re turning 75!”
And each time, investors were disappointed by the lack of enthusiasm among this generation that firmly embraced the phrase: “60 is the new 40.”
WILL 2026 BE DIFFERENT?
“Yes, in terms of demographics, this is definitely the time that the sector has been talking about for the past decade,” says Shlomi Ronen, managing principal at Dekel Capital.
The demographics are certainly compelling. Approximately 20 percent of the population falls within the baby boomer generation, and more than 4 million of them will hit 80 in the next five years
