By Laura Hipshire
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

Doctors at the Johns Hopkins Geriatrics Center treat many more accidental injuries during the winter than other times of the year, says Dr. Bruce Leff, an associate professor of medicine at the center. As a result, communities are modifying their design and services to become more winter-friendly for the people who live there.

Henry Ford Village, in Dearborn, was one of the very first communities in the country built with winter in mind. Its features, amenities, and services exhibit the types of designs other communities are making now.

The grounds staff at Henry Ford Village shovels and de-ices the sidewalks and parking lot. Local on-site shuttles are also available to take residents where they need to go, whether it be holiday shopping or to a nearby restaurant.

What’s more, residents there can leave their winter coats at home when they venture out to run daily errands. The glass-enclosed, climate-controlled walkways that link every building provide a warm and toasty walk to the on-campus Comerica Bank, medical center, fitness and aquatics centers, and restaurants.

The design is specific to Erickson communities—the development and management company of Henry Ford Village. The 25-year-old national company has taken all of those winter-friendly details into consideration when designing its communities.

John Erickson, founder of Erickson communities, says these design features not only keep people safe and healthy but also socially engaged.

"I think that the single family home is really the biggest killer of the elderly," he says. "I say this because it creates the isolation that separates individuals from this active, engaged social environment. That sucks the meaning out of your life. You’d be amazed at how just being the vice president of the woodwork club gives you something that you didn’t have when you were sitting by yourself watching TV."