Customer Reviews

The Senior Cohousing Handbook, 2nd Edition: A Community Approach to Independent Living (Senior Cohousing Handbook: A Community Approach to Independent)

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In the United States it was the creation of the Social Security and Medicare that help to diminish what had been a chronic problem of poverty among the elderly. But while economic assistance went a long way to improving the quality of their lives, the increasing fragmentation of the family structure continued to exacerbate problems of isolation and loneliness among the aged. That was a driving force behind the creation of community approach to independent living for the elderly. This newly emerging concept now has a documented track record of providing senior citizens with a living environment that contributes to a healthy, safe, stimulating, and socially active retirement. This is all laid out, replete with real-life examples, in the pages of Charles Durrett's "The Senior Cohousing Handbook" which defines, explains, and demonstrates the concepts, organization, structures, and benefits of a co-housing approach to senior living. A thoroughly 'reader friendly' and profusely illustrated instruction manual, "The Senior Cohousing Handbook" is especially recommended for anyone considering joining or establishing such a senior citizen housing arrangement in their own community.

This book is a good overview of the history as well as the actual process of forming and completing a senior co-housing group project. The only criticism I have is that the book relies a lot on the experiences of many such groups in Denmark who largely pioneered this type of senior living arrangement in the 1980's and 1990's. The social, economic and political factors that were conducive to the development of senior co-housing there seem significantly different from those confronting many seniors in 21st Century America.

It offers lots of ideas about aging in community that will be of interest to those deciding what to do for retirement living.