Senior Cooperative Living: University-Style

The ASA (American Society on Aging) blog has a fascinating interview with USC professor Victor Regnier, who holds the country’s only joint appointment to an architecture school and school of gerontology. His architectural grad students have designed a community based on the Apartment for Life housing projects that are popular in Europe, particularly the Netherlands. Just as in the cohousing concept, Apartment for Life residents can arrange for specific services when they need them, thus eliminating the problem of overcare experienced by so many seniors in assisted living facilities.

In the article, Prof. Regnier also mentions the cooperation of a developer with housing experience and a health care provider with gerontological experience as an ideal arrangement for such projects. This is a strong endorsement of Phoenix Commons’ philosophy, as it has been designed by Alameda Elder Communities, which has over 40 years of experience in senior housing and health care, and the community’s members will continue to be able to count on AEC’s expertise and support whenever needed. With senior cooperative lifestyle communities such as Phoenix Commons,  Wolf Creek Lodge, and USC’s proposed Apartment for Life gaining ever greater awareness in the general public, older adults can look forward to better housing and care options that respect their autonomy and dignity.