Hello – I heard about AGEncy through an older friend who lives in Balmain and have had a look at your website. I love the concept and am interested in learning more about it. Im 52, single, living in Rozelle and thinking more and more about what community means as I age in our fast-paced, congested, urban environment. I think I love the idea of co-housing and I know I love the idea of true co-design. Im wondering if the people who’ve gathered around the project so far have fixed ideas about the age-range of potential housing dwellers? From what I can gather your focus is on building a safe, nurturing community with and for people who are ageing (we’re all doing that!) but I’m wondering how open people are to inter-generational living and community building? Has there been much discussion on that so far?
Look forward to hearing from you
All the best
Donna
Hi Donna, really sorry this is a belated response. We are all just very time poor…. and work of course. But to answer your questions, there are a range of views about the age issue but probably the majority of people who have participated in information sessions to date have been keen to have a good mix of ages. Ultimately it will be up to the group of people who commit to the first building to decide what it looks like, how it works, any membership criteria etc. But the intention with The AGEncy Project is to create a home where people can live the rest of their lives, without having to move, with proximity to the things they need and a network of people who care about looking out for each other. I’m a similar age to you and I would move in tomorrow if we had the building! Good communities are diverse communities and as long as the intention is retained and ‘lived’, I would personally like to have a mix of neighbours. Have you registered to come along to our ‘visioning’ workshop on Sunday 29th? It will be very interesting to thrash out some of these ideas. And as we have professional facilitators and a ‘visual recorder’, it will be a pretty dynamic experience.
I was wondering how your model will differ from the existing Over 50s resort style accommodation where people live in separate units but can socialise at a central clubhouse, participate in activities, community bus, room in the units for a carer, close to medical attention etc.
The only drawback I see in this sort of community is that everyone is over 50, there are no younger couples or children. When ageing, keeping a connection with the younger generations is good for the brain!
Would not a group of friends be able to buy into this sort of resort, still be together but have clearer exit strategies should they die or wish to relocate?
Thanks for the contact Chris, good question, and how different from an apartment block? The answer lies in the intentional nature of the model. People come together to create their own place of living. Ideally they set it up, become the developers in a sense and then run it. Models may vary this a bit but that is the general approach. It provides control and choice.
As to the age restrictiveness, while we are focussed on an older cohort, there is no reason younger people couldn’t live there too, if they so choose. Agree with you that it makes it more normal and interesting. Examples overseas show that it is both affordable and desirable to people of all ages, we are just a group of friends who are around the same age that’s all!
And I see no reason why a group of friends couldn’t buy or have an arrangement where they could live in a resort style community – location, design and budget notwithstanding. The legal arrangements and exit strategy might be the complicated part.
Hello – I heard about AGEncy through an older friend who lives in Balmain and have had a look at your website. I love the concept and am interested in learning more about it. Im 52, single, living in Rozelle and thinking more and more about what community means as I age in our fast-paced, congested, urban environment. I think I love the idea of co-housing and I know I love the idea of true co-design. Im wondering if the people who’ve gathered around the project so far have fixed ideas about the age-range of potential housing dwellers? From what I can gather your focus is on building a safe, nurturing community with and for people who are ageing (we’re all doing that!) but I’m wondering how open people are to inter-generational living and community building? Has there been much discussion on that so far?
Look forward to hearing from you
All the best
Donna
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Hi Donna, really sorry this is a belated response. We are all just very time poor…. and work of course. But to answer your questions, there are a range of views about the age issue but probably the majority of people who have participated in information sessions to date have been keen to have a good mix of ages. Ultimately it will be up to the group of people who commit to the first building to decide what it looks like, how it works, any membership criteria etc. But the intention with The AGEncy Project is to create a home where people can live the rest of their lives, without having to move, with proximity to the things they need and a network of people who care about looking out for each other. I’m a similar age to you and I would move in tomorrow if we had the building! Good communities are diverse communities and as long as the intention is retained and ‘lived’, I would personally like to have a mix of neighbours. Have you registered to come along to our ‘visioning’ workshop on Sunday 29th? It will be very interesting to thrash out some of these ideas. And as we have professional facilitators and a ‘visual recorder’, it will be a pretty dynamic experience.
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Interesting interview on Life Matters yesterday.
I was wondering how your model will differ from the existing Over 50s resort style accommodation where people live in separate units but can socialise at a central clubhouse, participate in activities, community bus, room in the units for a carer, close to medical attention etc.
The only drawback I see in this sort of community is that everyone is over 50, there are no younger couples or children. When ageing, keeping a connection with the younger generations is good for the brain!
Would not a group of friends be able to buy into this sort of resort, still be together but have clearer exit strategies should they die or wish to relocate?
Kind regards,
Chris
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Thanks for the contact Chris, good question, and how different from an apartment block? The answer lies in the intentional nature of the model. People come together to create their own place of living. Ideally they set it up, become the developers in a sense and then run it. Models may vary this a bit but that is the general approach. It provides control and choice.
As to the age restrictiveness, while we are focussed on an older cohort, there is no reason younger people couldn’t live there too, if they so choose. Agree with you that it makes it more normal and interesting. Examples overseas show that it is both affordable and desirable to people of all ages, we are just a group of friends who are around the same age that’s all!
And I see no reason why a group of friends couldn’t buy or have an arrangement where they could live in a resort style community – location, design and budget notwithstanding. The legal arrangements and exit strategy might be the complicated part.
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