The Baby Boomer generation, 73 million strong, are entering the 65+ age group at a rate of 10,000 per day in the United States. By the year 2030, all Baby Boomers will have joined the 65+ club placing a lot of stress on the senior housing industry. So what does senior housing of the future look like and what changes are coming to accommodate the rapidly growing need? A 30 minute podcast episode isn’t nearly enough time to tackle that question entirely, but today we are going to talk about a lesser known option called Cohousing. Cohousing communities bring together the value of private homes and the advantages of shared public space.  Is senior Cohousing a good option?

My guest on this episode is Gail Bagley. A retiree living in Lakeland, FL Gail has dreamed of living in a cooperative, communal-type arrangement for decades and is the founding member of Friends and Neighbors Cohousing LLC, a cohousing community in the planning stages in Lakeland, FL.

Here is what we talked about:

• What is cohousing? Description and brief history
• Why is senior cohousing relevant now?
• What cohousing is not
• Why Senior Cohousing/Who is a good candidate 
• The process: how is a cohousing community created?  
• Examples of existing senior cohousing communities 
• Benefits of senior cohousing (to the individual and to the wider community)
• Where to get more info and learn about cohousing in my area

About Gail Bagley

"I am a senior citizen! Also a Florida resident since 1970 (before Disney World opened😉); Lakeland resident since 2002. 34 year career in high tech industrial distribution management, followed by 10 years in marketing, education and consulting for local organizations serving seniors.

I have dreamed of living in a cooperative, communal-type arrangement for decades. I am the founding member Friends and Neighbors Cohousing LLC, president of non-profit SAGE Senior Coho Advocates, Executive board member of non-profit Rath Senior ConNEXTions.  Also involved in the SAGEing Wisdom Circle in Winter Haven."

Resources & Links

• Friends and Neighbors Cohousing website: https://www.cohousinglkld.com/
• Friends and Neighbors Senior Cohousing Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/friendsandneighborsco/
• Cohousing Association of the U.S. website: https://www.cohousing.org/
• SAGE Senior Cohousing Advocates website: https://sagecohoadvocates.org
• "Best of Both Worlds: Cohousing's Promise" DVD  http://www.cohousingco.com/film
• "State-of-the-Art Cohousing" book: https://www.amazon.com/State-Art-Cohousing-Lessons-Learned/dp/0945929056/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=state+of+the+art+cohousing
• The Senior Cohousing Handbook: http://www.cohousingco.com/products/senior-cohousing-a-community-approach-to-independent-living-the-handbook-second-edition
• AARP Age Friendly Communities: https://www.aarp.org/livable-communities/network-age-friendly-communities/

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