The Senior Cohousing Handbook - 2nd Edition

The Senior Cohousing Handbook - 2nd Edition by architect and author Chuck Durrett comes at a time of high interest in greening, sustainable housing, and affordable living concerns. Durrett's new book is a comprehensive guide for baby boomers wishing to continue vibrant, active lifestyles. - EPR Real Estate News

Make your senior years safe and socially fun with the idea of senior cohousing and a book on the topic that shows how seniors can custom-build their neighbourhood to fit their needs. This is housing built by seniors, not for them, and emphasises independence and social networking. Any library strong in gerontology or social science and many a general lending library needs this. - James A. Cox, The Midwest Book Review

As a Baby Boomer, I've joked for a few years that we'll all end up living communally again because Social Security will be broke...This is one of the better ways to envision it. - Sacramento Bee

No matter how rich life is in youth and middle age, the elder years can bring on increasing isolation and loneliness as social connections lessen, especially if friends and family members move away.

Senior cohousing fills a niche for this demographic—the healthy, educated, and proactive adults who want to live in a social and environmentally vibrant community. These seniors are already wanting to ward off the ageing process, so they are unlikely to want to live in assisted housing. Senior cohousing revolves around custom-built neighbourhoods organised by the seniors themselves to fit in with their real needs, wants, and aspirations for health, longevity, and quality of life.

Senior Cohousing is a comprehensive guide to joining or creating a cohousing project, written by the US leader in the field. The author deals with all the psychological and logistical aspects of senior cohousing and addresses common concerns, fears, and misunderstandings. He emphasises the many positive benefits of cohousing, including:

• Better physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health
• Friendships and accessible social contact
• Safety and security
• Affordability
• Shared resources

Successful ageing requires control of one's life, and today's generation of seniors—the baby boomers—will find that this book holds a compelling vision for their future.

Charles Durrett is a principal at McCamant & Durrett in Nevada City, California, a firm that specialises in affordable cohousing. He co-authored the groundbreaking Cohousing with his wife and business partner, Kathryn McCamant.