AEI Corporation

Senior Living Commercial Grills Give Investors & Developers a Competitive Edge

Posted: June 21, 2023 at 07:00 AM

5 minute read | Grills

Senior living facility developers are expected to experience fierce competition for residents in the coming years. The number of Americans eligible for social security crossed the 50 million threshold in 2023. By 2050, more than one-fifth of the population is expected to enter retirement age. Suffice it to say, those demographics have not been lost on investors creating easy-living retirement communities. New retirement developments are being built to match that growth each year and top-tier amenities are expected to outpace those of existing facilities.

Living environments that cater to the 65 and older crowd will need to expand their amenities to compete and attract residents flush with retirement income. Senior living commercial grills continue to be one of the most highly sought after options among retirees. Whether this involves installing a commercial grill in communal BBQ areas or integrating a semi-private patio grill outside each living space, seniors are not interested in taking a step backward in terms of quality of life.

Why Senior Living Commercial Grills are a Top Amenity

Senior living and other multi-family developers have an unfortunate habit of employing cookie-cutter ideas about which amenities are worth the investment. They look to standard checklists that include fitness centers, pools, and game rooms, among others. What tends to be absent — particularly among retirement communities — is a way to bring people together.

That’s why it’s important to recognize that many Baby Boomers have relocated and now find themselves without their usual circle of friends. What they yearn for is that sense of community they enjoyed before retirement. Preparing delicious meals in communal BBQ areas ranks among the best ways to socialize and build friendships. It’s the age old tradition of breaking bread together, just in a more flavorful fashion.

Integrating Natural Gas or Propane Grill to Encourage Community

It’s not uncommon for yesteryear retirement landscape to have old cast iron charcoal grill setups. Often installed decades ago, they were seen as a desirable perk at the time. But the inconvenience and uneven heat they generate has left many rusting away. Seniors prefer the ease and consistency of a natural gas or propane grill in their communal BBQ areas.

The good news is that multi-family properties that have outdated grills can easily swap them out for a new stainless steel or heavy-duty cast aluminum commercial grill. Residents typically view this type of upgrade as a way property managers are giving back.

For operations that lack large gathering areas, it may be feasible to include several modest patio grill installations. Strategically positioned near each multi-family unit shortens the walking distance for older Americans. Integrating multiple senior living commercial grills still tends to build relations of neighbors who live closest.

Property managers are likely to find that utilizing this approach leads to neighbors gathering more frequently and hosting celebrations. A well-paced patio grill also prompts outdoor chefs to try out and share new recipes.

There are also ways to convert a gathering space that does not necessarily include hardscape assets into a robust outdoor kitchen area. The PGS commercial grill line now offers a prefabricated island. The Modano series BBQ island can be fixed in place in any safe, flat space. Property managers need not outsource the center island to a contractor because DIYers or groundskeepers can erect it within a half-day.

It’s designed for people with basic tool skills to follow step-by-step instructions. When completed, it significantly changes the dynamic of an outdoor space. Once underused landscapes now become attractive communal BBQ areas where new friends gather far more frequently.

Valuable Safety Items for Senior Communal BBQ Areas

When re-imaging or creating new outdoor grilling areas for retirees, it’s essential to include value-added items. The state-of-the-art technology and innovations being introduced to industry leading commercial grills provide enhanced safety and opportunities to expand menus. These rank among the savvy and popular extra safety measures offered through the PGS commercial grill line.

• Lift Assist Grill Handle: This grill handle extension helps reduce the effort needed to raise and lower a patio grill hood, and can be done safely from a seated position. It can be particularly useful for community members that use wheel chairs and people with disabilities. It is also nice for grill chef because you don’t have to reach over a hot grill to open and close the grill.
• E-Stop: An emergency gas shutoff timer (E-Stop) is a crucial safety option. Installing this asset into the line of a natural gas or propane grill improves safety by shutting off the flow of gas immediately with the press of a button. It can also help lower insurance premiums.
• 60-Minute Shut Off Timer: Top-of-the-line PGS commercial grills come with one-hour shutoff timers. This standard safety protection prevents someone from accidentally leaving the grill on unattended. It also prevents fuel waste should users forget to turn off the patio grill.
• Matchless Ignition: A PGS commercial grill comes with battery-powered matchless ignition. This safety feature avoids open-flame lighting and unnecessary burns.
• Heat Indicator: A side-mounted heat indicator serves two vital purposes. It indicates the internal grilling temperature to ensure thick cuts of beef, chicken, fish, and veggies are cooked to perfection. It also shows the grill is hot so not to touch the lid.
• Laser-Etched Instruction Panels: Too many subpar grills come with stick-on instructions, leading to user errors and injuries. After they fall off or become blurred from the weather, new patio grill users are left in the dark. Developers can rest easy knowing the PGS T-Series patio grills come with laser-etched instructions that never fade.
• Anti-Theft Knobs: Missing knobs are a logistic headache for property managers and wasted use of revenue. That’s why top-quality commercial PGS grills are equipped with anti-theft knobs.

The safety of residents and guests is always a top priority. But what the PGS commercial grill line does exceptionally well is to deliver models with outstanding safety measures that also provide expansive grilling opportunities. The T-Series PGS commercial gill line is the perfect option for retirement community living.

PGS T-Series Commercial Grills Give Retirement Facilities an Edge

The wide-reaching options offered by the PGS commercial grill line provide unique solutions for upgrading out-of-date gathering spaces. The natural gas and propane grill opportunities are also ideal for retirement communities that are still in the development phase.

These commercial grills range from cast aluminum to stainless steel construction. Sizes run from 330 square inches of direct cooking surface to as much as 960 square inches. Models such as the T30s and T40 can be outfitted with side shelves. They can also be cart-mounted or fixed in place on a space-efficient post. Heat ratings easily tip the scales at 30,000 BTU and hit peak temperatures at 40,000 BTU.

Larger models, such as the S27T and S48T provide 540 to 960 square inches of grate space, depending on the model. These stainless steel commercial grills also generate 45,000 to 90,000 BTU, depending on the product. That makes them the right choice for communal BBQ areas designed to host birthday parties and large celebrations.

Retirement community developers and investors are on the cusp of a substantial change in demographics. The wave of older Americans weighing easy community lifestyles and quality amenities has already begun. To remain competitive, property managers will need to invest in ways to support an organic sense of community among these new neighbors. Nothing brings people together like delicious food prepared on a patio grill from AEI Corporation.