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Creating Community
As we grow older will our community be ready for us? All over America new kinds of communities for older adults are emerging. They are meeting the needs of people 50+ who want to make new friends and seek new opportunities for engagement and vibrant interaction. Some of these communities are created by the residents themselves; some, by nonprofit or government social service agencies; some, by universities. What they have in common is that they are creative, designed by and for the those who will live there, encourage people 50+ to assume responsibility for their own lives and ensure that people can age in community— engaged and surrounded by friends.Here are a few definitions of a short list of terms to help you explore this topic.
Want to create an a community for older people with an array of important and needed services? The AARP Bulletin lists these steps modeled on the Beacon Hill Village.
Senior CoHousing: A Community Approach to Living Independently. 
Cohousing is an entirely new way for people 50+ to live with dignity, independence, safety, mutual concern, and fun. Providing an inside look at existing communities, this site demonstrates how people can make the conscious choice to live independently through community.
The Elder CoHousing Network provides a full range of services to help 50+ co-housing groups get started in building their own communities!
Our Society is Aging: Are Our Communities Ready?
Coming of Age Lifelong Learning Guide Rennie Cohen offers insights into what she believes needs to change in our society's attitudes towards older populations.
More on Beacon Hill Village — the grassroots experiment to provide various services to an urban population of low, moderate and middle income seniors.
Communities Without Walls, Princeton NJ
Community Without Walls (CWW) is a community-based network of Princeton-area residents. It was founded to enhance and support the ability of each member to age well.