Today marked the start of a myriad of presentations to come, from the continuation of our current event presentations to our Oral History Projects, to NAPs and HAPs discussions. An overarching theme in our current events presentations today was the current and future implementation of senior co-housing, housing communities that aim to allow older adults of all backgrounds age in place in supportive, accessible, and affordable locations. While they are not widespread, there are apparently a few hundred such communities in the country alongside budding apps and programs to pair older adults with compatible roommates. I think in ideal conditions, with willing and open-minded individuals to participate in these co-housing options, as well as the availability of comprehensive health services that can reach these communities, can senior co-housing become a viable option for the future. As it is, I think that outside of tight-knit communities with strong senses of cultural identity and homogeneous characteristics, it may be hard to mobilize strong public support for such establishments. However, it was heartening to hear that there are existing communities such as these, and that they have been both well-received and successful in some qualitative metrics. I think, at least for me, I could see myself living happily in co-housing communities in the future, at any age, especially if it provides the positives that were presented: companionship, fiscal sense, community, and exposure to a diverse range of individuals from all ages and roots. As for our Oral History Project presentations, I was admittedly very nervous (I was never a strong public speaker), but after seeing a handful of my fellow LCS’ers go first and be able to present such intimate and personal stories of their EPs, I found it easy to follow their lead. It felt really natural talking about my dad, and I felt that even though I couldn’t share his story in the entirety that I know it at his request, it still felt nice to be able to deliver his story in such a way that I felt delivered the sense of respect I feel for him. I’m really excited to see the other extraordinary people that our peers present in the coming weeks.
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Andrew NguyenWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
June 2019
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