Old folks’ home? Co-living with youth can be happier option for seniors

Intergenerational model may fill gap in eldercare market, says chief of co-living firm

- Benjamin Lim Correspondent

Singapore’s ageing population and limited land supply are fuelling demand for new housing options for seniors. Yet, many people here still fear the social stigma of putting their parents in eldercare homes, seeing it as going against deeply held family values.

But if Singapore can normalise the idea of seniors living in dedicated homes or communities, ageing gracefully could become much easier.

One promising approach is a mixed-age, co-living model, or what Mr Eugene Lim, chief executive of co-living operator The Assembly Place (TAP), describes as intergenerational co-living.

At the heart of this concept is the belief that seniors deserve to enjoy life in their later years, but happiness cannot come from being surrounded solely by their peers, as is the case for nursing homes, assisted living facilities and even retirement villages.

Instead, the key to a fulfilling home for seniors is to live alongside younger generations, creating a vibrant, positive community.

If successful, this new model of living could fill a significant gap in the eldercare market, Mr Lim told The Straits Times.

The way he sees it, intergenerational co-living could reshape perceptions about senior housing in Singapore.

By pairing seniors with younger residents, the model could show families that their parents are not being “put away” but are instead part of a vibrant, mixed-age community that supports active, dignified ageing.

“Singapore’s ageing population is everyone's responsibility, myself included. If a co-living operator can take away the guilt that families feel about putting their parents in a home, I think we can solve this big issue in society,” he said.

TAP - which provides accommodation that blends private rooms with shared common areas for people who prefer flexibility, community, convenience and affordability - has started offering co-living spaces for intergenerational tenants.