From Cohabitation to Cohousing: How Older Baby Boomers Are Revolutionizing Senior Living

Baby boomers eager to stay independent after retirement are opting for different living arrangements like cohousing and cohabitation, reports Fast Company . Cohousing communities appeal to those desiring cooperative living based on shared values, like environmental sustainability, social justice, or spirituality. These communities typically have an overlapping vision statement communicating vital principles, along with hierarchical governance and decision-making. Cohousing residents live in individual homes but share certain spaces, like kitchens, libraries, and exercise rooms, while patios and gardens are oriented to encourage interaction. Observation showed that living in a shared-governance communal housing arrangement offered growth opportunities, with residents noting they were more patient and vital, open to new learning, and more likely to consider multiple perspectives. These experiences correlate with the gerotranscendence theory of aging, which suggests that as a person ages, they can "transcend" previous understandings and gain new viewpoints on basic existential matters, the meaning and value of relationships, and definitions of self.