After living in cohousing for 15 years I moved to an independent living community for health reasons.  I’d been satisfied with my choice until the Covid-19 virus hit. All the shared living spaces in my new community were shut down, leaving the residents no way to connect.  The manager of our community is very ineffective and has virtually disappeared. We have had no communication from him other than to post signs from the CDC. There are 90 people who live in my building, at least 1/3 at high risk due to underlying health issues.

Living through Covid-19, I miss the connections that exist in cohousing at a time like this.  I’ve seen so many inspiring, funny, proactive examples of what cohousing communities across the country and CohoUS are doing to stay connected, help each other out and still stay safe while we all physically isolate.  This is a scary time for everyone, and communities are coming together to reduce the scare and provide a safety net for anyone who needs it.

Fortunately I’ve carried some of cohousing with me.  When I realized that my current community did not have a way to connect, I remember the email list my cohousing community had used. People were very appreciative when I started one here.  It isn’t the same as a cohousing community where all residents share the intention of living connected lives, but it sure has helped. I’m so glad cohousing taught me what community can be.