Also see: Part 1 - Cohousing for Boomers
Cecily O'Connor
RedwoodAge.com
While cohousing is popular among all age groups, a few communities specifically for older adults have formed recently, and more may be on the way.
Cohousing links the idea of having your own place with a communal lifestyle (see Cohousing for Boomers). Residents own their own homes, but benefit from a community in which they share common interests and participate in activities together. For those individuals in or nearing retirement, so-called "elder cohousing" represents a popular alternative to traditional retirement housing options.
The newest elder community, Silver Sage Village in Boulder, Colo., will open its doors this fall. The 16-house development is within walking distance of a two-acre city park, restaurants, a bank, fitness studio, dry cleaners, coffee shop, beauty salon and a massage studio. Silver Sage is also across the street from Wild Sage, a multigenerational cohousing community that houses both kids and adults. So far, all but three Silver Sage units have sold, said Sharon Tuck, community manager at Wonderland Hill Development Co., which is overseeing construction.
Silver Sage will join two other existing elder developments: Glacier Circle in Davis, Calif., which is home to individuals in their 70s and 80s, and ElderSpirit in Abingdon, Va., which was created for adults over 55.
“There is a whole gaggle of other communities that are in the warming stages, too, (in which) some have sites, or are looking at land to build,†said Kate deLaGrange, a senior associate with Araham Paiss & Associates, a Boulder, Colo., group that educates individuals about cohousing. While these communities have supported people of all ages for several years in the U.S., those created specifically for adults in their 50s and up are “extremely new,†Ms. deLaGrange added.
Similar to multigenerational cohousing, elder cohousing is defined by characteristics such as a participatory process, a design that fosters community, private homes surrounded by common facilities, resident management, a non-hierarchical structure. Overall, residents have complete involvement in the communities' plan, design and administration.
That said, the only similarity between elder cohousing and an independent living facility, for example, would be community rooms where residents eat and socialize.
Overall, elder cohousing is becoming popular it that it offers individuals a powerful social outlet to tap into. At ElderSpirit, for example, there are a number of interest groups - from the South Beach Diet group to the mediation group - that help members get to know people in a "deeper, personal way," said Dene Peterson, a 77-year-old resident and executive director of the ElderSpirit Development Corp.
"It's a community of mutual support and late-life spirituality where people make decisions that are for the good of the whole residence, not just themselves," said Dene Peterson, executive director of the ElderSpirit Development Corp.
Community Living
Safety, too, is a big advantage of cohousing as residents watch out for each
other. And medical research has found there is a direct link between health and
living in community, as people with strong social ties generally recover faster
from illness and live longer, according Abraham Paiss.
Joani Blank has resided in two different cohousing communities over the past 15 years, because "living alone is a drag."
In a cohousing situation, it's "not so much that there are people to help you, but people to relate to," said Ms. Blank, a 69-year-old resident of Swan's Market, a multigenerational community in Oakland, Calif. She cited the support she received recently for a personal problem. "If I had really needed to cry on someone's shoulder, I could have done it with any one of my neighbors, even the one that's been cranky about my dog," she said.
While Ms. Blank enjoys living with people of all ages, some adults are ready to be in a community that's focused on their aging needs. For example, three of Silver Sage's new residents have been living in Nyland Cohousing, a multigenerational community, in nearby Lafayette, Colo.
"They want something that's more about their needs instead of the families' needs," Ms. Tuck said. With that in mind, Silver Sage will have an arts and crafts room in its community room that's "adult oriented," she added.
Not Assisted Living
Even with all the special considerations and accommodations that elder cohousing
communities are thinking up, it's important to note that cohousing communities
shouldn’t be considered a substitute for assisted living.
“The myth surrounding senior cohousing is that people are going to get the extra (health) care," said Ms. Blank, a former member of The Cohousing Association of the United States (Coho/U.S.)
That’s why many communities set limits as a group about “co-care,†Ms. deLaGrange said. Helping to walk dogs or get groceries is one thing, but assistance with bathing could be more responsibility than members want to assume. “Each community makes their own agreement," she said.
Some elder developments are favoring design features that promote the ability to age gracefully, too. That could mean building extra rooms for nursing attendants. Or incorporating stacked closets that could be converted to an elevator, or a dining room that could later be made into a master bedroom, Ms. deLaGrange said.
“Someone can move in while they are still active with the full intent that they will be able to age in place in the community,†Ms. deLaGrange said.
Silver Sage also incorporated some design features into its community room, for example, using cork flooring, which is soft and easier to walk on, Ms. Tuck said. A section of the community room kitchen has a counter that's lower than the standard height for those on meal duty that may need to sit down while they prepare food.
Also see: Part 1 - Cohousing for Boomers
