Cohousing for Seniors - Compass Cohousing

Seniors make up a big part of many intergenerational cohousing communities like ours. That’s because cohousing offers a lot of benefits for seniors that are hard to find elsewhere. These include:

The opportunity to spend time with a whole community of friends without having to leave your home.
A good standard of living at a lower monthly cost that comes with the ability to share common living expenses.
An “extended family” that watches out for all of us - from youngest to the older.
The ability to enjoy more time with younger generations, including kids.
A wide opportunity for social outings with people of all ages.

Ultimately, the anecdotal evidence from hundreds of such communities around the world suggests that cohousing can help you live independently on your own longer versus staying in a traditional housing set-up.

The facts are clear: cohousing can be very good to people in their golden years.

But it’s not really just about the facts. It’s about the people.

So allow me to introduce you to one of our members. Gord was there right since the beginning. He’s 65 years old and here’s his story…

I’m 65 and live in an old house on a third of an acre. It’s a lot of work. As I get older, I’ve been thinking how I want to spend the rest of my days - I guarantee it’s not fixing my old house and mowing the lawn. Many of the neighbours I knew have moved on; I don’t know many of the new ones. That sense of community I once enjoyed is gone. I want to ensure that I can live independently for as long as possible. That’s where cohousing comes in. I won’t have to mow the lawn very much (or at all) - there’s a whole community to help. I will know my neighbours because that’s how the community is structured. It’s one that supports its members. If I need help with something as I get older, someone will be there willing to help. But I also want a community where I can actively contribute. I want a community where we share collective goals, resources and knowledge, and celebrate all the things that are joyous in our lives. Cohousing provides those things and meets those life goals. I can enjoy spending less time and money maintaining my property and more time doing the things I want to do in my retirement. I can develop close friendships with my neighbours that are now lacking in my life. I can live in a community that is supportive, encouraging and friendly. I’m looking forward to morning coffee or tea get-togethers with my friends. Late nights chats in the common house roof top lounge. Gardening in the communal garden patches. Building something in the workshop or making music in the music room. I look forward to our nightly common dinners - a great chance to chat and fewer meals for me to prepare. And all within a few yards from my front door. Being able to walk to so many stores and restaurants is an added bonus. Cohousing offers a place to age gracefully and supportively. It’s a chance to remain independent for as long as I can and longer than if I stayed in my big house and property. I still have the privacy of my residence and the benefit of community. For me, there is really no downside to cohousing.

If you’re a senior and would like to know whether cohousing might be right for you, please get in touch with Michelle at michelle@compasscohousing.com
or with Doug at doug@compasscohousing.com. They’re part of our membership team and would be happy to tell you more about our project. They can also introduce you to Gord if you’d like to talk to him directly.

LEARN MORE ABOUT COMPASS

Langley’s New Village Opportunity

Just enter your details below and we’ll send you out our Project Briefing. You’ll learn more about cohousing and who it’s for, meet some of our members, see detailed drawings and get a really good idea of the community we’re building here in Langley.