One of the newest and most intriguing concepts in retirement living is cohousing, or co-housing, communities. In this type of community, like-minded adults come together to share the last third of their lives in harmony and in a spirit of cooperativeness. Cohousing had its U.S. debut in the late 80's when Charles Durrett and Kathryn McCamant introduced the Scandanavian concept in their seminal book on the subject. The idea caught on, and today, there are roughly 5,000 people living in 80 cohousing communities across the country.
In a cohousing community, all residents know each other well. When a stranger is spotted, they might be greeted by an inquisitive yet friendly resident. Gated communities are possible in many situations.
Cohousing communities usually consist of separate residential units and many communal facilities for shared living. Often these include group meals and dining, meditation rooms, yoga, hiking or biking trails, and large shared living rooms. Energy efficiency, "light footprints", sustainability, common meals, crafts, and shared recreation are usually common themes. The concept of a shared living experience and a caring environment are central. Cohousing (also spelled as co-housing) is obviously not for everyone, particularly for people who hold a more conservative ideology or who have a greater need for privacy. If the idea of a gated community or one that is surrounded by golf courses is not your taste, then this might be an attractive alternative.
For people who enjoy being with their neighbors, loneliness caused by the lack of friends and acquaintances is worsened by the isolation of retirement and/or by living in apartments or suburban neighborhoods. Cohousing reduces the isolation of apartment and/or suburban living and helps replace workday friends. And, although social opportunities exist in all retirement housing, cohousing makes it much easier and quicker to make social friends, particularly for those who are somewhat shy.
Green renters enjoy the opportunity to reduce, reuse, and recycle when working as a group. Rather than using space for houses, streets, and parking, clustered housing allows cohousing communities to preserve much of the site’s green space. Passive solar as well as other alternative energy sources can be included in the community and even within the homes. You will be leaving a greener earth to your children and grandchildren. |
