Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Is Senior Cohousing for Me?/Aging in Place (Neil posting for Ann Z)

[Neil Planchon (neil]

Neil posting for Ann Z zabaldo [at] earthlink.net since there I found lots of 
goofy characters, which I removed and two signatures! Both excellent. I thought 
one was enough though. ❤️ — Thank you :: Neil :: List manager 

-=-=-=

Hey Fred!  Good morning!

And out comes the Red Flag!  Apologies in advance to everyone.

Why is it intergenerational vs. senior cohousing?  One is not better than the 
other.  They are just different than each other.

I was answering Marvin's question about whether cohousing would be a good fit 
for a senior who is 83 years old and still healthy.

And, now, borrowing a phrase from my colleague, Katie Henry, I?m going to throw 
gasoline on this smoldering fire.

We, that is, ALL of us are long overdue for a white gloves off serious 
discussion about aging in cohousing.

Here's the gasoline:  

Ed Sutton's email coupled w/ Marvin?s along w/ an attempt to deepen the 
discussion by Sharon and, lastly, Fred's email expose a fault line in the 
social fabric of cohousing.  You are welcomed to stay as long as you can 
contribute, do the majority of the work in the community for which we are 
eternally grateful because we?d be in very sad shape without you,  but when you 
can?t be independent you?re expected to leave.  Gracefully. No fuss.

What's amazing to me is that the seniors themselves believe they should depart. 
 What happened to community. This is personal to me.  I've spent 23 years 
helping to build Takoma Village into the community it is now.  I am not a kid 
person but I have supported the raising of children here.  And now at the ripe 
old age of 72 I am facing a decision of what happens next?

We do not create life long community in cohousing.  We create a temporary 
island that you can visit and stay for awhile but even if it's a long while ? 
you will have to leave.  How is this helpful to evolving a different way of 
living in the world that cohousing promises if in the end,  we just do what the 
rest of the society does?

I have lots more gasoline to throw on this discussion.  Here's a sample:

Apologies to you, Marvin.  I fear, this is not going to be pretty.  Let me say, 
unknowingly you have done a huge service to cohousing by opening this 
discussion with a simple question of whether cohousing is a good fit for you. 
Is there an intergenerational cohousing community out there for seniors seeking 
to live in cohousing like Marvin?   If so, I am eager to hear about your 
cohousing community, your values and your options for seniors to age in your 
community both those who have aged w/ the community and those who seek to join 
your community.

Of course, this potentially incredible discussion has to come along on the very 
day and week when I?m completely booked end to end w/ meetings and obligations. 
 :-(  I apologize.  I don?t have time to write a shorter email.  And I don?t 
have time to make it ?pretty.?  Sorry, sorry, sorry.

Since I'm the ED of Mid Atlantic Cohousing and I have access to the zoom 
account ? I’m inviting all of you, and whomever else you think would be 
interested, to a Zoom meeting on 

Sunday, May 1, 2022 4-6pm:  EDST

Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZctfuiqqzwqGtOwEjkKNOOp5vGBtBM1DneM 

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information 
about joining the meeting.

White gloves off.  Let's get down and dirty.

PS: anyone want to help me w/ this? Let me know ASAP!

Rock n Roll!

Best --

Ann Zabaldo
Takoma Village Cohousing
Washington, DC
Member, Board of Directors
Mid Atlantic Cohousing
Principal, Cohousing Collaborative, LLC
Falls Church, VA
202.546.4654

Those without ovaries should not tell those with ovaries how to live.  
Fallopians 5:12

NOTE: Please add my new email address to your CONTACTS list.   I'm 
transitioning to this new email address.  Please start using annzabaldo [at] 
me.com