Do you ever feel isolated, solitary, disconnected? It turns out, you’re not alone in feeling lonely.
As many as 30% of Canadians feel lonely, and that proportion has doubled in the last 30 years. Here in “Lotusland” Vancouver, one in four people do. Research has surprisingly found this trend to loneliness to be especially high among Boomers and young adults, with negative effects on their health and happiness.
Luckily, housing solutions like Carpe Diem’s intergenerational living condo communities are creating new opportunities for people of all ages to connect, build community, and support one another.
What is intergenerational living? And how does it help? In this blog, we’ll review how community living and new housing formats can bring people together.
What causes loneliness—and how do neighbours help?
Despite our communications technology, it seems we are more disconnected than ever before. Especially for those just starting families or careers, the high cost of housing often means moving away from supportive families. Though likely for non-financial reasons, retirees too are often living further than ever from their younger family members.
As a result, emotional isolation is at an all-time high among urban Millennials and suburban Boomers are feeling it too, perhaps as their children move away or their friends start downsizing.
When traditional connections become harder to maintain, strong relationships outside of the family are key to feeling fulfilled and supported. But while many people want to see and interact with their neighbours, the challenges of their daily routines can create “distance” between them. Even supportive family can seem distanced when they live just a few miles away.
What is intergenerational living?
In response to this trend of “loneliness amongst the crowd”, more and more people are turning to co-living. In co-living spaces, people from all walks of life are encouraged to give and receive support from one another. The benefits are wide-ranging, including access to new wisdom, financial stability, and emotional connection. Who hasn’t discussed or at least thought of the dreamy notion of setting up to live together amongst a group of familiar friends? The co-housing movement is growing, but it still occupies only a tiny proportion of our new housing development, despite its intuitive appeal and it’s fit to our times.
It’s worth noting that single-family homes only became the norm relatively recently. Most people lived and worked together during the Middle Ages, perhaps due to co-dependence and a tougher style of life, for basic survival. But in their context co-living made life easier and more enjoyable for everyone.
While our lifestyles may look very different today, the basic ideology that we’re better together remains. We still long to interact, to be cared for, and to care for others, no matter what stage of life we are in. In this modern world, we need each other for a different level of need than basic survival. But we seem to need company and support as much as ever.
What sets intergenerational housing apart?
Co-living isn’t for everyone. Many people feel concerned about a lack of privacy. In addition, most shared housing units are rental or co-op based, ruling them out for anyone interested in investing and building wealth in property.
For those attracted to the idea of shared housing but concerned about these drawbacks, the intergenerational living model of Carpe Diem offers a timely solution. These communities have all the benefits of co-housing, but offer more privacy and an opportunity to build equity.
Let’s take a look at how it works.
How intergenerational housing benefits Boomers
Many Boomers who originally settled in the suburbs for affordable family housing are now Empty Nesters who can afford to move back into their urban core. With the right housing model, they may find more convenience, neighbourliness and camaraderie than what seemed to occur for them in detached homes with side-yards and private driveways.
Community-mindedness is nurtured and designed for in congregated living arrangements that bring people together, regularly and naturally. In seniors’ housing, for example, retirement communities have always devoted space to common areas, creatively designing opportunities for residents to enjoy each other’s company.
In intergenerational housing, shared living spaces are similarly designed to encourage and nurture community, including shared experiences among a range of ages and stages of life. Carefully conceived common areas not only expand residents’ access to relaxation and recreation spaces, but they also create opportunities to interact with their neighbours. For Boomers, inspiration for active healthy living is more likely to come through immersing themselves in youthful energy as by limiting their social sphere to their age and lifestage peers.
How intergenerational housing benefits Millennials
Among younger generations, the amount of time spent at home is decreasing. Millennials eat more meals out than ever before, have longer commutes, busier schedules, and are as likely to work alone in cafes as together in offices. While their easy adaptation to social media has assured their digital connection many younger people feel more emotionally isolated than ever.
The trends to communal office workspaces and communal rental housing environments are early signs of the Millennial generation’s longing for connection. Co-living connects residents naturally with others who likely share the same need for affiliation, and they can effortlessly help each other, without even trying. The common areas of a condo building become more than just a refuge for relaxation after work. They become a hub for finding company—a community space where neighbours share, connect, and interact with each other. It can be momentary, while passing through, or sustained by shared activities and time together. Home becomes the building, not just the private suite.
The magic of inter-generational co-living
Housing is changing and the trend to urbanization is relentless, but we can find new opportunities to build a community where mutual support among neighbours happens organically and voluntarily. Through shared spaces and an environment designed to encourage connections, intergenerational housing enables Boomers and Millennials— two groups most affected by loneliness—to build community together. What could seem like neighbours who are generations apart might give each other a lot of what they need, naturally and effortlessly, just by being around.