Living Alone or in a Community? What’s Best After 60?

Over the last few years, more and more women have chosen to live in communities. In theory, this living situation is similar to the communes that many women were at least aware of in their 20s. In those days, women chose to live together for philosophical reasons. For example, many women found that this living session provided an outlet for their bohemian style and desire for experimentation.

In these communes, there was a sense of collaboration, unity and sharing. Saving money was another consideration, but, this usually came second to the desire for freedom and companionship.

Fast forward 40 years and many women are starting to embrace communal living once again. Groups like the Golden Girls Network are building an infrastructure for supporting women who want to live in communities. There is one subtle, yet important, difference though. Unlike the communities that many of us experimented with in our 20s, these new communities place a higher value in individuality and privacy. People can join the crowd or they can spend time alone.

On the other end of the spectrum, there are plenty of women, like me, who find themselves living alone in their 60s or 70s. This is a bit of a mixed blessing. On the one hand, I love my independence and freedom. Like many women, I have raised my children and lived a hectic life. Now, I want to catch up on my “me” time a bit. On the other hand, living alone can lead to isolation if you are not careful. So, you have to put in a bit of extra effort to maintain existing friendships and make new ones.

I’m curious what you think about the ideal living situation after 60. Please take a few minutes to answer the questions below and “like” and share this article to keep the conversation going.

Do you like to live alone? Or, is the concept of living in a community appealing to you? Has your opinion about the “ideal living situation” changed as you have gotten a little older? Why or why not?