State-of-the-Art Cohousing: Lessons Learned from Quimper Village
A book about a new way to live — fostering community, connection, security and sustainability. When community matters more than ever, knowing about a way to live where we can look out for and care for one another is vitally important.
In Port Townsend, Washington, a group of inspired people created an exemplary senior cohousing community, Quimper Village. This book tells of their extraordinary journey: how they prepared; how they launched; the voyage itself; how they landed; and how they settled.
These are extraordinary times, and quarantine has put a terrible burden on many seniors who are home alone and isolated. Now is a time when community matters more than ever, and we’d like to share with you an inspiring story about one such community – Quimper Village Cohousing. Quimper Village is one of the most exciting senior communities in the U.S.A. because it was started, co-designed, co-developed and largely financed by the future residents themselves. Completed in 2017, this book tells their extraordinary journey: how they prepared; how they launched; the voyage itself; how they landed; and now how they settled.
State-of-the-Art Cohousing: Lessons Learned from Quimper Village demonstrates how they built great relationships with each other to meet their goals. Now, those relationships are key to surviving a challenging time. During the current crisis, the most vulnerable stay at home in Quimper Village – other neighbors buy and even prepare food for them and leave it at their doorstep. These same neighbors assist with prescription drugs, and other needed essentials. Let your parents know and your friends over 50 – don’t leave them alone. Tai chi twice a day and other outdoor activities means connection. Everyone is appropriately socially distanced, but not isolated. The residents of Quimper Village created something very special – a neighborhood where people truly help each other in good times and tough ones too.
State-Of-The-Art Cohousing: Lessons Learned from Quimper Village
For more information on cohousing and senior cohousing specifically, check out Alexandria’s book on Levitt Cohousing. Follow the link below.
About the Author
Alexandria Levitt is a gerontologist, specializing in Community Engagement and Strategic Partnerships around Senior Cohousing. She wants to develop housing for people that doesn’t just show off a “lifestyle” imagined by corporate developers but one that reinforces the qualities that help us most as we get older – friendship, community and purpose, as initially created in Denmark.
As a gerontologist (USC, MS, 2011), Alexandria is very familiar with the many challenges facing us as we get older and the remarkable connection between health (both mental and physical) and social engagement. Alexandria leads workshops on “Aging & Thriving with Cohousing” and informational presentations on Senior Cohousing in the area. Her goal is to move the needle in the direction of cost effective, appealing, environmentally-friendly housing that can be home for all active, engaged adults.
Alexandria is a member of the Senior Citizen Commision of South Pasadena, California and President of the nonprofit SAGE Senior Cohousing Advocates.
What is Levitt Cohousing?
Levitt Cohousing works with developers and groups looking to create Senior Cohousing in Southern California. Levitt Coho also provides informational sessions on Cohousing and workshops to learn more about aging and thriving in our communities.
Headed by Alexandria Levitt, their role is to serve as a liaison between Cohousing communities and developers in order to facilitate the successful completion of Senior Cohousing Communities in Southern California.
