Page 12 - C.A.L.L. #44 - Fall 2018

As my friends and I grow

older, we’re setting our

sights on communal living

Changing life circumstances, including aging, present an opportunity to take stock and think
about the way we choose to live. For a growing number of retirees in the West, reaching out
to and building new communities is an exciting and comforting prospect to face major life
transitions.

Douglas Tindall, the Globe and Mail

A few years ago, four friends began a conversation: Here we are in our 50s and 60s, still active

and (relatively) youthful, but all moving toward the day when we can no longer cling to our
cherished independence. Retirement homes seem unappealing, nursing homes a last resort.
Why not live together and support each other?

It was casual at first, a bit of a joke. But we kept coming back to it. Finally, a few months ago, we

went off for a weekend together to come up with a plan.

We began with our reasons for wanting to consider this seemingly offbeat idea. What attracts
us to living together?

First, community. André Picard, among others, has written about the extensive research
showing that community is vital to health. Being connected – to family, friends, neighbours, a
community group, a running club, a mosque – can add years to your life, studies have found.

Second, a smaller carbon footprint. A smaller home envelope to heat and cool and a shared
kitchen with fewer appliances than separate houses mean fewer greenhouse gases.

While affordability is not the key driver of our plan, we do expect living together to be more

economical than our current, independent living arrangements.

Gradually, a rough plan came into focus. The house should have a front porch, one of us said
(zeroing in on essentials!). It has to be downtown, we all agreed – downtown, walkable and
close to transit.

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