Aging in Community

Secrets of Living Well Together

An intensive pre-conference workshop at the 2022 National Cohousing Conference in Madison, Wisconsin

The morning of August 25, 2022

Led by Raines Cohen, CSA, CSL

Whether or not your cohousing neighborhood is (or plans) to be intergenerational or senior-focused, you need to be preparing for members getting older -- it's a natural part of all our lives (and a good sign that you are keeping neighbors around a long time).

By consciously approaching aging and building collective community consciousness about it, you can make it much more likely that you and your neighbors will be able to not just stay in their homes longer, but also help everyone, from birth on up, experience longer, healthier, richer lives.

While many traditional approaches to "Aging in Place" focus on the "deficits" and physical, social, financial, and mental challenges of aging, cohousing neighborhoods are full of opportunities for "positive aging" where our unique lives as elders and age diversity can become a strength and bring intergenerational opportunities and support you can't find anywhere else, that's what makes Aging in Community so much more powerful and meaningful, something to be embraced, not postponed, avoided or tolerated.

We'll look at examples from many different kinds of communities that have successfully laid the groundwork, share what we've seen in (or anticipate in) our own cohousing, and together help each other create a plan and path to take home.

Join us for lively discussion, role-playing, and simulations, plus sharing of established and home-grown resources to bring back to our communities and a network to support each other in continued connection.

This workshop is based on proven techniques from:
* Successful Aging (Study Group 1) curriculum from Denmark
* The Society of Certified Senior Advisors (CSA) program
* Certified Living in Place Professional (CLIPP) program
* Elders' Guild handbook and Wisdom Circles methods
* Global EcoVillage Network (GEN) Elders group
* Sage-ing International programs like "Activating the Sage Within"

plus personal experience working with elders in cohousing and the larger community, as a Gray Panthers group leader.

Register for this intensive at the national conference website.