Cooperatives and Co-housing of older people. German Case Studies in Rhineland-Palatinate

This paper, presented at the 2014 AESOP Conference, examines the emerging interest in the co-housing model as a means to address the paucity of housing options for older people in Germany. Interest in the neighbourhood has increased considerably by housing companies and social policymakers in recent years. The withdrawal from social services and neglect of the needs of seniors in many European countries led to growing importance of communities. Nowadays, grassroots organizations and self-help approaches especially of senior citizens emerge. Co-housing projects aim at a new form of neighbourhood and community, in which adults come and live together by purpose and voluntarily without family bonds. Construction projects aim at barrier-free units, high ecological standards and eco-friendly environments. As such, these projects are expected to enhance the quality of life of senior citizens as well as allowing them to age in place. In this contribution we are describing organizational patterns, visions of conviviality, push-factors and barriers of co-housing projects. Results show a broad variety of projects and different levels of their acceptance by local authorities.