Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: senior-multigenerational dilemma

[Angela Steiert (angie.steiert]

I have lived in a multi generational cohousing community for 8 years.
Though, I did visit a resident for a week who had moved to another state
and into a senior co housing community and was struck by some significant
differences.  The main one being that you never saw any of your neighbors.
As the community had been designed to have most of the work taken care of
by people outside of the community, there was not the need to be around the
property.  To me, workshare is a significant place of connection,
especially early on in a community and for new members joining. Also, I
think kids naturally invite us out of our complacency, the cries of joy
lead us to step outside & often provide moments of connection.  I know I
have had multiple conversations with the elders at my community about the
significant meaning they have found in the liveliness and beauty of the
kids while they were struggling with their body's functioning.

I do think there is a place for senior cohousing, specifically if someone
does not have the bandwidth for parents and and kids struggling to learn
how to be in the world.  To be blunt, a multigenerational community is not
for you if you get annoyed by kids.  If that is true for you, than living
in such close proximity to them would be stressful on both you, the kids
and their parents.