Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: "Aging out"

[Bonnie Fergusson (fergyb2]

At Swans Market Cohousing (26 years since move in day) we have had several 
original members live here until they died.  In Their last days they were cared 
for by hospice, family members and friends with various kinds of community 
support.  Others have chosen to move into assisted living after receiving 
potentially fatal diagnoses and twice members were hospitalized for a while 
before dying and never officially moved out of cohousing.  It doesn’t make 
sense to talk about aging out of cohousing.  As we age our contributions to the 
community change somewhat but rarely cease much before death.  And when you 
live together in community for many years you learn to accommodate change.  
Bonnie FergussonSwans Market CohousingOakland, CA

Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPad


On Sunday, August 30, 2026, 1:16 PM, David Entin via Cohousing-L <cohousing-l 
[at] cohousing.org> wrote:

I wanted to respond to the query of how a community “navigates aging out.”  The 
question presupposes that at a certain age or condition people must leave a 
cohousing community.  One can also live in a cohousing community until one’s 
death.  Our oldest member, age 87, moved in at our beginning 21 years ago, and 
died last month.  He had been an active and important contributing member for 
many years.  Recently he was suffering from vascular dementia and became sick 
and entered hospice care here in our community.  The community responded with 
love and care.  Our Care Committee coordinated meals for the family and support 
for the spouse and sick member.  Many visited with him for the 23 days when he 
was under hospice care.  Most of us went to his green burial service at a local 
cemetery and a very meaningful Memorial Service at his church.  
David Entin, Rocky Hill Cohousing, Northampton, MA
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