Aging in Place
The challenge or the reality for boomers
Do you want to stay in the home you’re living in now for the rest of your days on this earth? This is a question on many boomers' minds, it seems.
Many options are available, but let’s assume growing old in an assisted living place or nursing home is not a popular choice.
Two options come immediately to mind. The first choice may be a co-housing situation. These types of developments are becoming more popular and popping up in more locations than ever before.
This concept was developed originally in Denmark and brought to the United States in the early 1980s.
Basically, it is a type of collaborative housing where residents are encouraged to participate in its design as well as how the community operates as a whole. In a co-housing situation, there are apartments or condos as well as single-family homes available.
The design is developed to nurture and encourage community through social interaction, with plenty of open and individual space. A common house, which may offer a large dining area, recreation center, classrooms, and much more, is the center of each community.
In these communities, there is a strong sense of neighborhood with people working and playing together and creating relationships of trust and mutual support. How wonderful to know that you are in a place where people look out for each other and develop a sense of family, even in a neighborhood.
If this interests you, begin looking. There are communities that accept all generations as well as communities for baby boomers and beyond. It’s a wonderful option for many who are fearful of getting isolated and desire the attitude of community that co-housing provides.
