If residents of Blue Zones are living healthier, happier, longer lives, what can senior living organizations learn from those regions to develop more sustainable living spaces for older adults?
Jan Luursema, a Netherlands-based strategic consultant, set out to answer that question during a session at the recent LeadingAge 2025 Annual Meeting in Boston. He shared details on two development projects that successfully translated Blue Zone principles into the built senior living environment.
Societal demographics — a doubling in size of the US older adult population and a dramatic reduction in the number of caregivers — present a big problem, Luursema said. But it also presents an opportunity to incorporate Blue Zone concepts into senior living communities, he added.
Residents of Blue Zones in Italy, Japan, Costa Rica, Greece and California share common characteristics that contribute to their “extraordinary” health despite geographic and cultural differences, Luursema said. Specifically, they share social connections, have a purpose in life, exercise daily, get enough sleep and eat in moderation.
Introducing the Blue Zones to senior living
Luursema said that senior living organizations can incorporate those ideas into their communities to help older adults live long and healthy lives.
People move naturally every day in Blue Zones, walking to work, to the market or to visit neighbors. Communities can design compact, walkable neighborhoods with safe pedestrian routes, bike paths and attractive public spaces, he said.
Senior living already has a reputation for decreasing isolation and loneliness in older adults:
- A 2021 survey from Activated Insights, for instance, revealed a decline in loneliness among older adults residing in assisted living and other congregate living settings from before the COVID-19 pandemic.
- A 2022 report from the American Seniors Housing Association and ATI Advisory found that senior living communities reduced social isolation and improved quality of life among older adults during the pandemic.
- A 2025 survey from US News & World Report found moving into a senior living community can lessen an older adult’s sense of isolation and loneliness.
NORC at the University of Chicago also has conducted a series of studies showing how a move into senior living promotes health and wellness for older adults, reduces frailty and Medicare costs and improves access to healthcare, longevity and health outcomes.
From a Blue Zones perspective, Luursema said, senior living communities can bolster social networks by creating community centers, parks and shared gardens where residents can meet and interact naturally.
In the Blue Zones, nature is part of daily life. Senior living communities can integrate greenery into streets, rooftops and urban gardens, and they can ensure proximity to natural areas to support relaxation and health, Luursema said. Those same spaces can promote a sense of purpose and meaning for older adults, he said.
Living, working and amenities are closely intertwined in traditional Blue Zones, Luursema said. Senior living communities can make health and well-being an easy and natural choice by locating near healthcare, shops, sports and cultural amenities, fostering vitality and a sense of community, he added. Intergenerational programming can be built into those spaces as well, to bring young and old together in supportive spaces, he said.
Senior living dining is experiencing an evolution as organizations look for ways to change up the traditional dining hall experience, Luursema said. Many already are adopting principles from the Blue Zones with local, plant-based menu options and programs connecting senior living communities to the greater community, he added.
Bringing the concept of the Blue Zones into a new senior living project requires buy-in from a variety of stakeholders, including senior living leadership and organizations within the greater community, Luursema said
“The business case is difficult. It costs money,” he said. “When you’re going to make a project, you need a strong mission from connected people in organizations to make projects like this.”
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