A Home We Can All Enjoy - Cohousing for the Elderly

With the UK government’s recent pledge to transform social care funding by introducing individual budgets, some elderly groups are looking at ways to revolutionise their care and accommodation requirements. One such experiment that has largely been ignored by the politicians and local authorities is cohousing. This is where a group of elderly people club together to buy a site, build flats or maisonettes and move in. The idea is to live an independent life with neighbours nearby for support if needed. The scheme links ideally with government proposals on independent social care provision and less state involvement in housing and welfare. Moreover, those involved with cohousing claim they can hire care staff among the collective and keep an eye on those members of their community who become increasingly frail. So cohousing also helps overcome the issues of loneliness and isolation that haunt the elderly.