Chuck talked with Gregory Kellett of Common Grounding on the economics of sharing. Listen to this great interview: www.commongrounding.com
Bringing Back the Village
Source: www.commongrounding.com
The True Costs of Senior Housing
Written by Lindy Sexton, based on an interview with Arthur Okner of Silver Sage Village in Boulder, CO
“We at Silver Sage strive to age-in-place. Given the caring support of our community, we can do so a lot longer than in many other aging care models,” says Art Okner. “Getting older is a long, fulfilling journey for most—you have a caring family, a good job, activities that you enjoy, and friends to share experiences with. These things ebb and flow in a thing we call life, and it’s hard to think of the future until one day you are there. The future belongs to those who recognize and prepare for aging.”
In his search for the optimal housing scenario Art found that, as a middle-class older adult, options are extremely limited. The current aging care model is an expensive process that promises little to no security or return on investment. Art researched a well-known Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) in Boulder. The CCRC requires nearly $250,000 to get in (for a small studio), then $3,000 to $7,000 per month after that (depending on type of care needed), very little of which is returned if you move out or die. “They are very choosy about who they accept financially because if you run out of money they must keep you,” describes Art. In another “non-continuous” care model, Art found out that, if you do run out of money, the facility will “place” you in a government or other such program and forget about you.
Art chose to live in Silver Sage Cohousing in Boulder, Colorado. He owns his home and has a secure financial plan. Art has his independence, but most importantly, he is surrounded by caring neighbors, who as a group, discuss how they can support each other as they age and become frail.
Living in senior cohousing was a no-brainer for him. “Senior cohousing is planning for your future in wholesale terms because there is no profit motive. [It] is the cheapest option in town,” says Art, “clearly the social benefits are there [common meals several times a week, for instance], but it makes sense economically too. Even if a senior cohousing resident needs regular outside care “a la carte” the costs are cheaper than institutional options. Senior cohousing should be on the short list of housing options explored by everyone at this stage in life. You can’t afford not to.”
Join the conversation! On May 19, SAGE Cohousing International will facilitate Senior Cohousing: A Roadmap to Starting a New Community, an all-day intensive on senior cohousing. Participants will have the opportunity to listen to members of Quimper Village, a new senior cohousing community being built in Port Townsend, WA, and cohousing expert Charles Durrett. This is your chance to have your questions answered and begin to envision what aging in community looks like for you.
Sign up now by clicking here.
If you would like more information about Silver Sage Cohousing, visit www.silversagevillage.com or email Art at renko2828@gmail.com and arrange a conversation or a visit.
SAGE Cohousing International and Quimper Villagers Co-present at the Conference
Written by members of Quimper Village
We are thrilled to announce that three members of Quimper Village will co-present Senior Cohousing: A Roadmap to Starting a New Community with Chuck Durrett at the 2017 National Cohousing Conference from May 19-21. Carolyn, Pat, and David H. will talk about how they successfully formed a group, the importance of having roles with a group, and the latest updates on their favorite cohousing community, Quimper Village. The all-day intensive will include valuable information for anyone looking to start their own senior cohousing project and participants will have the chance to brainstorm what their scenario will look like through breakout sessions and small group conversation.
Creating a senior cohousing community can be an exciting and very fulfilling life event, if the group knows what they’re doing. Quimper Villagers benefited greatly from finding complimentary skills from members within their group, and hiring Chuck Durrett (McCamant & Durrett Architects) and Katie McCamant (CoHousing Solutions) as consultants on the project. Through guidance and with a steadfast vision, Quimper Village is now nearing move-in in record timing.
Are you looking for the next steps to creating your senior cohousing community? Sign up today for Senior Cohousing: A Roadmap to Staring a New Community and then check out these two blogs for more information: “Looking for the Next Steps in Creating Your Senior Cohousing Community?” and “The Roadmap and Why It’s Important to Have One".
The 2017 National Cohousing Conference offers a wide variety of topics of interest to co-housers from getting a favorable mortgage to running an effective meeting. There is still time to register for the conference being held in Nashville on May 18-21. We hope to see you there!
The Roadmap and why it is important to have one
Older adults around the United States (and around the world) are making a strong case for why living in a high functioning community is important to them, economically, physically, and socially. Many attempts to put seniors in community have proven to work short term, but funding and employee retention continue to strain these organizations. What seniors need (and want) is to be in the driver seat, to take control of their aging scenario. What they desire is to create their own community.
Wolf Creek Lodge, Grass Valley, CA
So, you’ve got the dream. But where do you begin to create your own community? How do you get others to join you? Who do you work with to help you figure it out? When you’ve moved in, what then? These questions are no doubt challenging to address and, if you don’t know what you’re doing, they can lead you down a rabbit hole with no end in sight.
I often hear from people at various points in their journey, looking for the next steps. In response to these inquiries, I will be presenting Senior Cohousing: A Roadmap to Starting a New Community, with SAGE Cohousing International. This is an all-day intensive, as part of the 2017 National Cohousing Conference in Nashville, Tennessee on May 19. It will give participants a concrete roadmap to move forward on their senior cohousing community, no matter where they are in the process. Learn how to get older adults in your region organized, get an overview of how to manage finances, learn how to secure property, and much more!
If you, or anyone you know, are ready to get started on creating the community of your dreams, a community that not only looks beautiful but also feels warm and giving, don’t miss out on the opportunity of a lifetime and sign up today!
R.I.P. Jan Gudmand-Høyer, a visionary in cohousing
Jan Gudmand-Høyer 1936–2017
The man who started cohousing in Denmark, and therefore the man who started cohousing, died Monday, March 6, 2017, at 81 years old. Jan came up with the novel idea that to make a neighborhood that truly fits the needs of the individual and society—you have to design it to fit true needs and wants. In 1964 Jan gathered together friends and acquaintances to talk about housing. He asked them to imagine a lifestyle and a place that did not yet exist, a place that could suit the needs of ordinary citizens, an intentional place that was different from what mom and pop, or grandma and grandpa had created for themselves. “What really makes sense for people in late twentieth century, western industrialized societies?” was his query. He recognized that different generations have different needs. Mothers were working outside of the home, families had fewer children, and folks were living longer. He wanted to figure out what would make it easier for them to actually express their values of living lighter on the planet while championing gender equality and increasing civic participation. He wanted to know what would make our lives more practical and more healthy. He wanted to create a way of life that made more sense. As they discussed it, notions of balancing privacy and community, private ownership and sharing, became recurring themes. He started with nothing but the intent to be truly responsive to real concerns, not perceived ones. Devoid of preconception on purpose, not wanting to rely on the rear view mirror, Jan spurred a self-development movement that spread throughout Europe, and then the world.
Jan and Charles walk through Skraplanet, one of the first cohousing communities built by Jan in Denmark.
Jan was the quintessential communitarian, always seeking but always turning what he learned into practice. For example, as soon as read about Sardinia and their heightened and measurable demonstration of community, he went there to learn from them. Over the course of a month, he studied in great detail, of culture and nuance, of place and benches and chairs. When it came to healthy human interaction, no detail was too small.
With great fun, in 2001 Jan & I sailed the Mediterranean with his wife, Angels, and his son Yakai. As we entered each tiny port in Greece, or Turkey, it was fun to compete to be the first to exclaim, “Now this is community.” There we witnessed moms, dads, and grandparents on the wharf, playing dominos, breaking bread, and children running all around. Instruments came out at dusk, then dancing and singing.
Jan Gudmand-Høyer and Angels together designed well over forty cohousing communities, each one being the model for the next one, each one being better than the last. It was to the point, that the last time I visited him, he only wanted to discuss his latest, although many were stellar.
We loved Jan dearly. Jan was our greatest inspiration, mentor, and truest of friends. He and I resonated at every level. He was truly the most humanistic person I’ve ever had the honor to know. He never lost faith in the human potential to build a healthy society one neighborhood at a time. I miss you dearly, Jan.
