Last week I attended the funeral of my mother’s dear friend and spent a few days reminiscing with long time family friends.  No one wants to be the last woman standing as saying goodbye appears to get harder and harder; especially as there are fewer and fewer around to provide comfort and support.

My mom’s friend was one of the lucky ones. She had children and grandchildren and several friends who remain to remember and miss her. There are many however who are not as fortunate.  I had previously blogged about ‘elder orphans’ those older individuals who do not have any family to provide care or to mourn their loss.

In that blog I discussed different ways of growing older, specifically by choosing to live with friends in a supportive community.

The Toronto Star article profiles four women who chose co-ownership.  As written in the Star article:

In the renovated heritage house with new addition, the women share kitchen, living and dining rooms and laundry room, and take turns cooking. They each have spacious private bed sitting rooms outfitted with gas fireplaces, flat-screen TVs and spalike bathrooms. Each of their bedrooms reflect their personal tastes, while the shared areas feature a sophisticated transitional decor and upscale finishes such as stainless steel appliances, stone countertops and vinyl plank flooring. The house also has a three-car garage, craft room, guest suite, wraparound porch and year-round swim spa.  The article discusses the ins and outs of such a venture and it may be a great option to consider.

Radical Resthomes in Montreal  continues to grow and offers workshops for those interested in co housing.

Creating a community is one way to adopt a new ‘family’ and  find interconnectedness, so no one feels like they are the last woman standing.