Cohousing-L Mailing List: RE: Let's Try That Again: Aging In Place In Cohousing

[Rob Sandelin (floriferous]

Sharingwood was founded by an elder woman, who died in her home last year at
the age of 90, surrounded by friends. She was cared for in the last 4 years
of her life by a series of live-in caregivers with assistance from community
members. Full time elder care is a big a burden for working families trying
to pay a mortgage to take on, but as a community many people pitched in over
several years. The paid caregivers lived with her and became part of the
community as well. I am not sure how realistic full time elder care from
community members would be, and as Sharon said, how much investment you get
back from a community depends on what you put in and how you maintain your
relationships. For example, I know that mortgage levels in cohousing tend to
be pretty high and I don't know if elder care is the same low pay scale as
most other service jobs.  I know that our founders primary concern was that
she not be a burden, and so by building a caregivers apartment and hiring a
care-giver she was not. She had invested in some kind of care insurance, so
when she did finally need the care she had the funds. 

I have a hard time imagining how a cohousing group would cover the care
needs and the financial requirements of an infirm elder with no resources.
That seems like a pretty huge commitment.


Rob Sandelin
Sharingwood Cohousing
Naturalist, Writer
The Environmental Science School
http://www.nonprofitpages.com/nica/SVE.htm


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