Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Senior cohousing / Fardknappen [ was: Conference report wanted

[Laura Fitch, A.I.A. (lfitch]

I attended one of the two sessions on Senior Cohousing, and came away 
with a reinforced sense that this is something that should and will be 
happening soon in the United States.  I, for one, intend to help make it 
happen and hope it happens in time for my own parents and maybe 
eventually me.

Chuck Durrett discovered in interviewing Danish elders that the number 
one reason for choosing cohousing is that "they didn't want to be a 
burden on thier kids".    

The biggest surprize to me, was that when elders were involved in the 
design process they did not necesarily choose to make all the units 
accessibile.  Just like younger cohousers, when given a choice between 
economics, ecology, myriad other values, and accessibility - 
accessibility did not always come out on top.  For instance, there was 
no move to bring parking any closer to the units and one community even 
had walk up flats.

Chuck also discovered that it was more important for elder cohousing 
communities to be smaller - 20 housing units as optimal size - than 
standard cohousing.  He attributed this to elders speaking and 
processing conversation slower, but still needing to speak and be 
listened to.

Chuck compared the amount of life on the pedestrian way and in the 
common house of a cohousing community with the institutional halls and 
dining rooms of the typical assisted care community.  There was no 
comparison - I know I'd rather grow old in cohousing!

Laura

Fred H Olson wrote:

> I hope someone posts a report on the Senior workshop - will there be such
> reports of all workshops on the website in time? 
>
>
>
> --- Fardknappen ---
>
> The cohousing community Fardknappen in central Stockholm is unusual in
> that it is specifically for people over 40 years old who dont have
> dependents living with them. More about it:
> http://csf.colorado.edu/mail/cohousing/2000/msg00784.html

--
Laura Fitch, A.I.A.
Principal Architect

KRAUS-FITCH ARCHITECTS, INC.
110 Pulpit Hill Rd.
Amherst, MA  01002
413-549-5799
413-549-7918 (fax)

lfitch [at] krausfitch.com




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