The Global Wellness Institute, an international research and educational nonprofit just back from its annual Global Wellness Summit in Tel-Aviv, released the latest update to its Future of Wellness 2022 Trends Report. Half of the study’s top 10 trends will have a strong impact on the development and improvement of our living spaces and real estate – at every price point.

Beth McGroarty, The organization’s research Vice President explains that consumers are tired of wellness for the affluent. “They want more accessible, affordable wellness. It’s no longer about pampering and an escape from ‘the real world.’ Wellness practices are now being re-cast as the path to becoming resilient and ready for an increasingly volatile future,” she adds.

Covid, natural disasters, supply chain disruptions, inflation and the war in Ukraine, are all driving this re-thinking. And in a long overdue backlash to ‘well-washing’ and what she calls ‘magical thinking,’ McGroarty reports that consumers want to see more evidence and transparency in wellness-related approaches. And more inclusiveness: “They also insist that wellness finally address[es] underserved populations.”

Below are 5 trends related to Wellness in Real Estate…

REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE & “AGRIHOODS”

GWI reports a “soil health crisis” arising from industrial agricultural practices unleashing nutrition, environmental and human health crisis around the world. In wellness real estate, this is contributing to the popularity of regenerative-farming-focused “Agrihoods.” People will increasingly seek these communities that deliver a “purposeful, self-reliant, planet-changing life of restoring the soil, farming, healthy food and nature,” the report predicts.

“A new regenerative agriculture—techniques that restore soil’s biodiversity—is the hottest topic in farming and will now become a hot topic in wellness. “Regen,” or “soil-certified,” will be the next food label, because it’s far more meaningful than “organic”—not only for its huge environmental impact but because soil health is the true lens into food’s nutritional value (which has plummeted under both Big Ag and organic farming). More wellness brands will pivot to regen-farm-sourced ingredients. In wellness real estate, regen-agrihoods are a real trend to watch” reports GWI.

SENIOR LIVING TRENDS

The largest demographic in the US is of retirement age, or soon-to-retire in the next 5 years. It is no secret that aging is inevitable, yet a majority of the aging population is unprepared for this uncomfortable reality. The future of senior living trends will be re-imagined, according to the report. Boomers who want to age well are looking for less age-segregation 55+ “ active adult” communities. Instead, the report predicts the trend is shifting back toward more multi-generational living – in the same neighborhood or on the same lot, if not the same home.

Intergenerational communities focused on real life connections and care between neighbors of all ages will be built into the next development trend, the report predicts, seeing them as a “timely solution for a world where the population is aging, where there is short supply of both affordable housing and caregivers.”

WELLNESS PLAYGROUNDS

Water-based wellness is poised to make a comeback, GWI predicts. “Whether it’s urban bathhouses featuring hydrothermal experiences (like saunas, steam rooms and pools) or open-space public parks where nature meets art and wellness, there’s a great reckoning happening in cities around the globe: the pursuit of wellness is becoming much more accessible, much more affordable and inclusive.”

Rather than just a travel or tourism trend, these new public experiences will drive a desire to live close by, impacting where new communities arise and how they’re priced. Second, they’ll likely expand the types of amenities developers add to their private communities, based on which features have the greatest appeal. Some homeowners seeking more privacy and convenience will opt to add these amenities to their own properties. Steam showers, flotation tubs and saunas have already become increasingly popular with homeowners. One manufacturer cited a 73% increase in online searches for “home sauna” from April 2020 to 2021

NEXT-GEN NATURALISM

The return of self-reliance, or “survivalism” is a prediction of the GWI’s 2022 report. “After years of unlearning ancient skills—from how to start a fire to how to grow our own food—we’re finally getting our hands dirty again and taking pride in DIY projects,” the report states. They call this trend “Next-Gen Naturalism.” Growing our own food, whether inside or out, is a trend we will see more and more. At the 2022 International Builder’s Show, the global manufacturer’s appliance division LG showed off an indoor gardening appliance called Tiiun, already a hot item in South Korea. In addition to these larger units are countertop models that have increased in popularity since Covid emptied supermarket shelves and produce price hikes since then.

TECHNOLOGY of the FUTURE

The growth of Artificial Intelligence, or AI, will grow substantially in the next 5 -10 years. Just like the growth of the internet in the past 3 decades, the next communications revolution is the metaverse, and its potential for wellness and wellness real estate is just beginning to evolve.

This is how GWI sees the wellness real estate sector evolving: “1) Membership in communities that are completely digital, as found in The Sandbox. 2) Virtual tours and experiences in real-world wellness real estate communities will also have a strong influence on this wellness sector.”

There are also smarter home technologies that will enhance a user’s experience. These will include more sophisticated telemedicine capabilities, more stimulating fitness equipment and smarter bathroom fixtures that can provide health diagnoses as well.