Refined retirement

By Beth Crane

The Baby Boomers are planning on taking their vitamins and living into their 100s.

For many, health issues aren’t a given upon retirement; as a result, a huge gap exists between selling the family home and 24-hour care.

The Dunfield fits the gap. Marketed as "refined seniors living," for the most part to the active, independent senior, The Dunfield will open in August as rental suites at Yonge and Eglinton in Toronto — a far cry from out to pasture.

Nods to the modern senior include a state-of-the art wellness spa, open show kitchen for visiting chefs and demos, and events like a visiting authors’ series. 15 of the 17 floors have themed lounges.

Like the generation it’s set to serve, however, The Dunfield is more nuanced than modern amenities suggest. Says David McEachern, VP, project development at ICMS, "We heard repeatedly that [discerning seniors] want an environment that replicates the quality that they’ve established in their own homes." This, while accommodating the reality that residents will indeed get older. (Two floors offer assisted living, and there is a 24-hour on-call nurse.)

The blend of modern, traditional, and necessary is everywhere, though not always visible. I see grab bars next to the toilets, a built in bench in the showers, and wooden hand railings in the hallways. I don’t notice that the joint between the carpeted living space and tiled kitchen is totally seamless, avoiding any tripping hazard.

This is not your generic condo for a 20-something, yet it isn’t a traditional retirement home either, lacking completely the institutional feel most end up ascribing to.

Developers, take note.

For more information, stop by the Presentation Centre at 45 Dunfield Ave. or call 416-481-8524 and make an appointment to tour the model suite.