10 Mar Creating Community as We Grow Older: A Significant Cultural Shift Is Underway.

  From cohousing to multigenerational living, there are plenty of alternative eldercare solutions available these days.   These days, a person looking for senior housing – whether for independent living, assisted living, adult care home, or a long-term nursing facility – has more eldercare options than ever before, and there’s no reason to think that the growth will stop any time soon. Simply put, the senior population is exploding. After all, the Baby Boomer generation got its name for a reason. It’s also true that improved healthcare and a better understanding of diet and exercise are contributing to the nation's longevity. Many of today’s best available senior-housing options are really a nod to the past: higher-density locales, homes suited for multiple generations, and community support and stimulation that keeps retirees active and healthy. Until recently, U.S. senior-housing solutions have largely consisted of cookie-cutter developments demanding big upfront deposits from residents who might eventually face a new round of stress in seeking high-level, and usually expensive, nursing-home care elsewhere. The current and coming generation of older adults realizes that they can make other choices about where and how to live. With intention and planning, people around the nation are creating ways to live in community, alternatives that give them more control, more companionship, more dignity, and choice than generations past, and better long term care plans for their elder loved ones. It is already proving impossible for the eldercare housing industry to construct (or convert) enough brick and mortar structures into senior housing. That's not to mention the practical problems in finding and training sufficient staff. Today’s seniors are also becoming more of an economic force than ever before. This makes them of special interest to anyone involved in any branch of the eldercare industry, especially housing. As numerous studies have shown, retirees contribute significantly more to a given community than they take away. Not only do they spend money, but they may also do volunteer work, making them attractive tenants.   Related Posts Aging In Place Can Be A Godsend Getting Older Is Positive, Not Negative. Elder Orphans Need Not Face Old Age Alone   Few seniors have ever been thrilled at the idea of moving into anything that could be described as a “facility.” To live in the home of one’s own choosing has generally been seen as the ideal. Now that retirees have the sheer numbers and the money, they have gained leverage and are beginning to wield it. And if they need help deciding the best elder care option for them, the eldercare solutions experts of My Elder are here to help them. The world of alternative eldercare solutions to living a great life has never been riper than it is now. We at My Elder are forming partnerships with innovators in this space; we are here to help families find the best elder care options for their loved ones, including long term planning, assisted living placement, and nursing home placement, among others. We are exploring opportunities in forward-thinking countries who are faced with American and European ExPats looking for a fresher view on continuing...