photos by JVL Photo

When you think about senior cohousing, you probably imagine a cluster of homes, free-standing or joined, where couples and singles live in a community atmosphere. Typically a senior community has 20- to 30-some residents who have their own private homes and share common spaces and amenities. They also share some meals, community management, social activities, recreation and more. 

But there are, or can be, many variations on this theme ¾ it doesn’t have to be one size fits all. In 2023 Bob Rabin had an opportunity to visit one such variation, Soul Sisters, located in the Vanier district of Ottawa, Ontario. Following is a summary of what he observed and learned.

photos by JVL Photo

Most The of the 24 existing cohousing communities in Canada are located in British Columbia, with only three in Ontario. Soul Sisters was established by four women who were longtime friends and single with no dependents. Their goal was to provide space and companionship for them to age in place.

A joint effort

Together, the four women shared in all the planning for Soul Sisters, including a statement of shared values and a legal document stating their commitment to each other. They worked with an architect to plan the physical building, which, at almost 6,000 square feet, looks much like a large single-family home from the outside. Inside, it contains four private, fully-equipped apartments. Shared spaces include a large gathering place, kitchen, dining area, deck, laundry, craft/work areas, pet grooming areas, music practice room and guest room.

photos by JVL Photo

The house is designed as a semi-detached rather than a four-unit building in order to meet Ottawa’s zoning requirements. Its ownership is not typical of cohousing; the women are “tenants in common,” each owning 25 per cent of the whole building rather than their individual condos. An added perk: the sidewalks and driveway to the home are heated so that snow shoveling is not needed (Ottawa averages over 80 inches of snow annually).

The women already knew each other and knew they shared values and priorities when they decided to form a community. There was no need to recruit others because they did not want a larger group. But much like in other senior cohousing communities, their goal was to share their lives as they age. While they don’t intend to provide intensive care for each other, they advocate for each other and make sure that appropriate resources are available when they need them. They have created a model of housing that’s environmentally sensitive and, while living in a city, they feel as if they have a little village around them. Read more about Soul Sisters here.

photos by JVL Photo

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Upcoming events

Dec. 10 — The Commons, a free monthly gathering for the cohousing curious and experts, too; 10 a.m. MDT; repeats on the 10^th of each month; https://cohousinginstitute.org/courses/thecommons/

Dec. 20 — Seniors in Cohousing Q&A, an informal facilitated conversation for those who are interested in senior cohousing and/or senior living in intergenerational cohousing; 10 a.m. MDT; repeats on the 20^th of each month; register here. Once registered, you’ll receive an email before the meeting with a link to join the call on Zoom.

In addition, the Foundation for Intentional Community (FIC) offers a wide range of on-demand and rerun online courses, covering topics such as diversity, consensus, leadership, facilitation, participation and membership. Check them out here

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