With cafes and restaurants, senior housing is opening itself up to the public

Public-facing amenities at assisted living facilities are connecting seniors to their wider communities.

The North of Main Cafe in Bellevue, Washington, has all the trappings of a typical urban coffee shop: a high-end espresso machine, a pastry case stocked with scones, and patio seating on the sidewalk. It’s the kind of place where friends might meet to chat over lattes or a remote worker might go to get a little laptop time.