Most older persons want to live in their home for as long as possible. They want to stay connected with their memories and independence. Many studies outline the benefits of aging in place, but with the rapid increase in the aging population and changing family composition, the focus now is changing to aging in the right place.

Older Person

So what is the right place? Well, most people would say the right place is where physical, social, and emotional well-being of the older person is the priority. It is a place accessible to amenities such as grocery stores or doctor. It is a place where the older person can pursue their interests, hang out with others, and live with purpose.

Such a place sounds like a dream, but there are people working to make it a reality.  Case in point is Harbourside Cohousing (Harbourside), 40 km west of Victoria on Vancouver Island.

The concept of co-housing originated in Denmark in the 1960s. People, with common interests, beliefs or ideals, live together in community. They share responsibilities and foster independence. Each resident live in their own private dwelling. Communal gatherings, activities and dining take place at the common house.

While Harbourside Cohousing is technically a seniors cohousing community, in practice, it is multi-generational. The first owners, or members as they call themselves, ranged from 47 to 84, though most are in their 60s. And the social activities are as diverse as those who live there.

The magnificent ocean view, close proximity to nature and all the things needed for day-to-day life are certainly a draw. But what really sets Harbourside apart from other community living groups is their practice of co-care.

Friends and Family

In the monthly Speaker Series, Harbourside members and others share their knowledge and passion. They share experiences and knowledge on topics like architecture, quantum physics, travel, languages, lifelong learning and volunteering.

The Speaker Series also builds community. The sharing and discussions after the presentations build social connectedness, deepen relationships, and incubate ideas for new projects. Local town residents also participate. And this strengthens the bonds between Harbourside members, who are often new to the area, and people who have lived in Sooke their whole lives.

Other regular gatherings include monthly birthday celebrations, Sunday brunches and book club. There is also spontaneous meet-ups for activities like making beeswax food wraps, mending workshop, jam making and baking.

Service Partners

Members choose to live in Harbourside because they see and value the potential of the collective, and as such, they are happy to function as their neighbors’ service partners. When one member had knee surgery another member provided co-care and brought meals over. In another case, a member with a long ladder rescued another member from an unwanted hornet invasion.  Whatever the problem, big or small, there are plenty of people willing to help.

Before deciding whether cohousing and co-care is right for them, potential members take a two day workshop. Workshop participants reflect on their own aging scenario and consider whether current housing would meet their future aging needs.  They discuss the role of community in aging well and learn what co-care is all about. They even experience cohousing living through activities such as consensus building while problem solving or cooking and enjoying communal meals!

Infrastructure Partners

The City of Sooke, architects and project managers were all key infrastructure partners in build and design of Harbourside Cohousing. Original members also participated in design decisions during the planning phase.

Members integrated core beliefs on community building, co-care and equality into the design. They made sure the main building of a resort that was originally on the land was kept as the “common house”. They planned an ocean view for every residential unit and incorporated accessibility into the design.

After the build, members are responsible for ongoing maintenance and enhancements. Job lists are posted and residents sign up.  On regular Work Bee days, everyone starts their jobs at the same time and then meet for a meal at the end of the day. This makes the work social and fun.

New Value Proposition

Participation and consensus building are core to the value proposition of co-care and Harbourside members are continuously learning and finding ways to improve their processes.  Building a co-care community where new ideas and complaints are heard and handled fairly is a lot of work.

The two day co-care workshop I attended at Harbourside included discussions on a variety of topics, homemade pizzas, a session of African percussion ensemble! I left the workshop feeling energized and hopeful. Even though I was there for only 48 hours, I felt a sense of community with the others. The vibe reminded me of my childhood in Hong Kong where I used to go and hang out with our neighbor’s daughter down the hall until my parents got home. And when her parents weren’t home, she would do the same.  Village and community living at its best!