Lessons Learned From a New Elder Cohousing Community

The Meaning of a “Sense of Community” in a Finnish Senior Co-Housing Community

“…Choi's (2004) study on senior co-housing communities argued that the residents felt that their lives had improved since coming to the community and cited communal activities and having close social contacts as valued aspects of community life. In other studies, too, the co-housing community was seen as offering mutual support (Glass, 2009), feelings of safety and easy availability of practical help, and the chance to enjoy the company of like-minded people when one wanted (Evans, 2009;Glass, 2013;Glass & Vander Plaats, 2013). Living in and running a co-housing community gave people a sense of empowerment and better aging (Glass, 2013).…”

“…Senior co-housing communities are still rather marginal options, although more common in the Netherlands, Denmark, and Sweden (Choi, 2004). Previous studies have shown that avoiding social isolation and finding a community of like-minded people are the most common reasons for moving to an agespecific housing type (Bernard et al, 2007(Bernard et al, , 2013Glass, 2009Glass, , 2013Glass & Vander Plaats, 2013;Lager et al, 2012;Stimson & McCrea, 2004). From the beginning, co-housing schemes were developed as a housing type that would alleviate the loneliness of older people by providing mutual support and social contacts (Choi, 2004).…”

“…In other studies, too, the co-housing community was seen as offering mutual support (Glass, 2009), feelings of safety and easy availability of practical help, and the chance to enjoy the company of like-minded people when one wanted (Evans, 2009;Glass, 2013;Glass & Vander Plaats, 2013). Living in and running a co-housing community gave people a sense of empowerment and better aging (Glass, 2013). However, the development of a community is an ongoing process (Bernard et al, 2012), and like any community, the co-housing community can change when people move out or die and new residents arrive (Glass, 2013).…”

“…From the beginning, co-housing schemes were developed as a housing type that would alleviate the loneliness of older people by providing mutual support and social contacts (Choi, 2004). In contrast to other types of retirement housing, senior co-housing communities are those that are explicitly based on a sense of community, mutual help, and the initiative of the residents, being designed and run by the residents themselves (Glass, 2009(Glass, , 2013Glass & Skinner, 2013). A review of the concept of a sense of community by García, Guiliani, and Weisenfeld (1999) showed that belonging, trust, and reciprocal help are seen as key aspects of a sense of community (see also Evans, 2009).…”

“…Some new age-specific housing arrangements, such as retirement villages (Bernard, Bartlam, Sim, & Biggs, 2007), migrant retirement villages (Lager, van Hoven, & Meijering, 2012), continuing care retirement communities (Krout, Moen, Holmes, Oggins, & Bowen, 2002), and senior co-housing communities (Choi, 2004;Glass, 2009Glass, , 2013 of providing better support for individual lifestyles and residents' autonomy, social contacts, and chances to participate in the community. Senior co-housing communities are still rather marginal options, although more common in the Netherlands, Denmark, and Sweden (Choi, 2004).…”