With a little help from our friends
Subtitle: creating community as we grow older
By: Beth Baker
Published: 2014
Language: eng
Number of pages: 240
ISBN-13: 9780826519870; 9780826519887
Subjects: Retirement communities; Health and hygiene; Communal living; Health aspects; Older people; Housing; Intergenerational relations
Description: "In this book, an award-winning journalist tells the story of people devising innovative ways to live as they approach retirement, options that ensure they are surrounded by a circle of friends, family, and neighbors. Based on visits and interviews at many communities around the country, Beth Baker weaves a rich tapestry of grassroots alternatives, some of them surprisingly affordable -- an affordable mobile home cooperative in small-town Oregon -- a senior artists colony in Los Angeles -- neighbors helping neighbors in "Villages" or "naturally occurring retirement communities" -- intentional cohousing communities -- best friends moving in together -- multigenerational families that balance togetherness and privacy -- niche communities including such diverse groups as retired postal workers, gays and lesbians, and Zen Buddhists. Drawing on new research showing the importance of social support to healthy aging and the risks associated with loneliness and isolation, the author encourages the reader to plan for a future with strong connections. Baker explores whether individuals in declining health can really stay rooted in their communities through the end of life and concludes by examining the challenge of expanding the home-care workforce and the potential of new technologies like webcams and assistive robots"--

""This book tells the story of ordinary people organizing innovative ways to live as they approach retirement, options that ensure they are surrounded by a circle of friends, family, and neighbors"--Provided by publisher"--
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (pages 223-232) and index.
Table of contents: title: Prologue : the oncoming train -- -- Part I:; title: A time like no other.; title: The end of denial : taking charge of how we live --; title: Interdependence : reconsidering "aging in place" -- -- Part II:; title: A wealth of options.; title: The village : neighbors helping neighbors --; title: Cohousing : creating community from the ground up --; title: Cooperatives : living affordably --; title: NORCs : retiring naturally --; title: Community without walls : weaving a web of friendship --; title: Generations of hope : living well by doing good --; title: Affinity groups : settling with your tribe --; title: Housesharing : finding companionship with friends, or strangers --; title: The new family : balancing togetherness and privacy -- -- Part III:; title: Getting from here to there.; title: Design for life : building homes and neighborhoods that serve us --; title: How will we pay? : planning for the unknown --; title: Who will help us? : advocating for direct care workers --; title: Is there a robot in your future? : accepting non-human help --; title: "What if?" : mapping our plan B.