Cohousing-L Mailing List: Cohousing that includes the elderly?

[Fred H Olson (fholson]

This message is being posted for Chris Reid <reidchris [at] earthlink.net> who
does not subscribe to cohousing-L so please send a copy of responses to
her.   Fred



My dad is in his 80s, and needs to be in a rehab center, at least short
term, so that he can have 24 hour care.  One of the things he dreads, as
do other older people I have talked to, is nursing homes.

Do you know of any efforts to create communities that include the
elderly (who need medical assistance) and children?  I saw that the
Quakers have a retirement community that is essentially an intentionally
multi-age living situation.

I think that living in most retirement communities is hard for those who
would rather debate philosophy than play bingo.  And, as evidenced by
segregation of the elderly -- we as a society do not treasure our
elderly and learn from them -- a huge missed source of enrichment for
them and us.

Further, one only has to spend a few days visiting in a hospital -- even
a great one -- to observe the many ways in which helpless people need
advocates and support.  Jane Jacobs' concept of how sidewalk traffic
creates safety might also hold true for the elderly and their care --
abuses would have more witnesses, and might be curbed just because of
the visibility.

Your info and ideas welcome.

Thanks,

Chris Reid


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