Senior Housing El Paso (West: apartments, rent, condos)

[Violet West]

so, there's a new "luxury senior community" opening up in the Northwest -- The Legacy at Cimarron. (Boy, how I hate those pretentious the XXX at XXX names.)

"Luxury" is right -- apartments will rent for "Initial rents for one-bedroom units will range from $3,295 to $4,895 per month; two-room units will range from $4,695 to $5,295 per month. Memory care units cost more. Various funding options are available to help with the cost."

Ugh.

What I'm actually more interested in is the concept of "co-housing." Residents get together and design and develop their own small homes with a common building housing kitchen, laundry, recreational facilities, etc. Not a commune -- just a group of people who commit to being "darn good neighbors." The idea is to reduce the social isolation that comes for seniors, even in "luxury communities."

I think there'd be a market for that here, and there's still relatively inexpensive land to be developed.

[kidicarus89]

Originally Posted by Violet West

What I'm actually more interested in is the concept of "co-housing." Residents get together and design and develop their own small homes with a common building housing kitchen, laundry, recreational facilities, etc. Not a commune -- just a group of people who commit to being "darn good neighbors." The idea is to reduce the social isolation that comes for seniors, even in "luxury communities."

That's an amazing idea. I honestly thought of looking into these 'communes' as a healthy young adult. One of the worst aspects of our culture is increasing isolation, and its most pronounced in seniors. Maybe it could be run as a co-op type thing, with a community garden out back.

[Violet West]

exactly. there are multi-generational communities and senior communities. They're basically condos, but with, as you say, community gardens, and other communal facilities. It's an idea that started in Denmark, and now there are a bunch of them around the country, including Tuscson, Albuquerque, Taos, and Sante Fe. But none here. It's a lot of work, but there's a good "blueprint" that has been developed to do one.

The difference between these and those "senior communities" I talked about above is that people in those apartments are still isolated. The co-housing people are committed from the get-go to look out for each other.This idea lets people live in homes a lot longer and a lot healthier.

Here's an article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kathy-...b_9535380.html

[joqua]

El Paso does have a number of "independent" living complexes that have very nice accommodations at affordable rents. My mom had her own apartment in one such complex on the far east side that had a commodious dining room where tenants were served three full meals a day. There were all sorts of planned activities residents could participate in. There was a shuttle bus for those without their own transportation. Those with vehicles were assigned a parking spot. Grocery and drugs shopping were just across the street, along with other strip mall outlets. Mom had a second floor unit with a balcony where she could keep potted plants and sit outside.

This same complex also has a separate building for "assisted" living and Alzheimer's tenants.

[Violet West]

apartments. I do not want to live in an apartment. I lived in one for too long, and now that I have a house I am reluctant to return. Most of those units don't even allow pets.