AGING IN MULTIGENERATIONAL COHOUSING COMMUNITIES Cohousing Association of the US Regional Conference/Boulder, CO/ 4/21/18 Ronnie Rosenbaum, MS Community Facilitation, Family/Elder Mediation, and Collaborative Divorce Facilitation Creating Peaceful Solutions Together 303.278.3030 ronnie@ronnierosenbaum.com www.ronnierosenbaum.com

Your Cohousing situation? Your goals for this session? Who is here? Your Cohousing situation? Your goals for this session?

MY BACKGROUND AND INTEREST IN AGING IN COHOUSING

UNIQUE ASPECTS OF MULTIGENERATIONAL COHOUSING “Children are medicine for elders; elders are maps for children.” JOYS OF AGING IN A MULTIGENERATIONALCOHOUSING COMMUNITY

CHALLENGES OF MULTI- GENERATIONAL LIVING

CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS AND NEEDS: THINK ABOUT THE FUTURE

THRIVING AT ANY AGE Purpose and meaning Physical, nutritional, medical/health, mental, emotional, social, recreational and financial well-being Interdependence

WHAT DOES SENIOR FRIENDLY MEAN TO YOU?

CONTINUUM OF NEEDS Social connection and support Instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) Activities of daily living (ADLs) Full time skilled care

Social connection and support Sharing activities Sharing joys and sorrows Being neighborly Sharing information about issues and resources Discuss and plan for future needs as we age That’s what cohousing friends are for!

Instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) Potential to provide in cohousing Easier to provide Harder to provide Managing transportation Shopping and meal preparation Housecleaning and home maintenance Managing medications Managing finances Managing communication

Activities of daily living (IADLs) Walking Feeding Dressing and grooming Toileting Bathing Transferring

TO ASK FOR EACH SITUATION WHAT AMOUNT OF CARE AND SKILL LEVELS ARE NEEDED? WHAT RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE IN COHO? IS THERE FAMILY? DO THEY LIVE NEARBY? ARE THEY SUPPORTIVE OF THEIR RELATIVE STAYING IN THE COMMUNITY? CAN IADL/ADL HELP BE BROUGHT IN FOR 2-4 HOURS/DAY WITH NEIGHBORS/FAMILY PROVIDING OTHER HELP? CAN SERVICES BE SHARED?

CLARIFY EXPECTATIONS ABOUT COMMUNITY Community means different things to each of us, with a variety of expectations. This changes as we enter new life stages, and with turnover in residents. It’s important to have facilitated discussions: at the formation of the community and to revisit periodically.

PHYSICAL/SAFETY CONCERNS: Discuss at formation and revisit Universal Building Design of the community: especially the Common House Changes as we age that effect safety: vision, hearing, smell/taste, balance Perimeter parking may impact people with mobility problems Costs of physical changes in the community: Who is responsible, those individuals impacted or the entire community?

INTERGENERATIONAL CONCERNS How to support people as they move through different life stages: How do we change the use of our common space to meet those changing needs and the needs of a changing demographic? (eg: guest rooms housing caregivers who provide collaborative care.) Engagement of all community residents Different tolerances around noise and activity levels

CONSIDERATIONS ABOUT CARE Boundaries Personal/individual or community responsibilities Between community members and families of elders Between what an individual in the community wants and what is in their best interest/feasible Short or long term

DENIAL AND AVOIDANCE ABOUT AGING

OUR PATH AT HARMONY VILLAGE FOREVER YOUNG, EVEN AT 90 YEARS OLD!

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME! Ronnie Rosenbaum, MS Creating Peaceful Solutions Together ronnie@ronnierosenbaum.com/303.278.3030 www.ronnierosenbaum.com