Latest news with #intergenerational
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Baby Boomers Now Live Next to 18-Year-Olds at Colleges Across US
(Bloomberg) -- On a Monday afternoon last spring at Lasell University, students wrapped up their final beginner Spanish class of the semester. Pairing up, they drilled each other on their names, favorite foods and hobbies. The Dutch Intersection Is Coming to Save Your Life Mumbai Facelift Is Inspired by 200-Year-Old New York Blueprint Milan Corruption Probe Casts Shadow Over City's Property Boom How San Jose's Mayor Is Working to Build an AI Capital LA Homelessness Drops for Second Year It was a routine conversation for Sara Leclair and Mandy Waddell, until Leclair, a 20-year-old sophomore, asked her partner, 'Cuantos anos tienes?' How old are you? 'Oh, this is getting personal,' Waddell exclaimed in mock chagrin. 'Ochenta y uno.' Eighty-one. The two laughed, and the lesson went on. The intergenerational classmates — Leclair, an early-childhood education major, and Waddell, a retired elementary school teacher — were brought together through the partnership between Lasell University and Lasell Village, a senior living community on the school's 54-acre campus outside of Boston. The unconventional arrangement, which offers retirees the chance to share space and studies with co-eds while providing a source of revenue for the university to help buttress its finances, has proved to be an enduring success, and increasingly, a blueprint. There's arguably no better manifestation of the graying of America than senior citizens populating campuses originally designed for 18-year-olds. But as US student enrollment dwindles, school expenses soar and the country's population rapidly ages, the improbable mashup is making more and more sense. Andrew Carle, a senior living consultant, estimates there are already about 85 of what he dubs university retirement communities in the country, a number he says is only set to grow in the years ahead. 'You couldn't find a bigger odd couple,' Carle said. 'But when you do it right, the synergy is there and it can be an extremely successful model for both parties.' Diverging Demographics This is a niche – and often expensive – part of the senior living market, to be sure. It's not a cure-all for the harsh realities facing higher education, a list that includes declining enrollment, rising costs and this year's funding threats under the Trump administration. And not all schools are well-suited for inviting a retirement community onto campus. But the partnership does work in many cases, and it represents the kind of creative thinking that will be increasingly required in the face of convulsive demographic change. Starting in the coming school year, researchers say there will be dramatically fewer high school graduates available to fill the country's higher-ed classrooms, stemming from a decline in birth rates that started around the 2008 financial crisis. Meanwhile, more than 10,000 people are turning 65 each day in the US. By 2050, the number of older adults is expected to reach 88 million people and make up more than 20% of the country's population, exceeding those under 18. Higher education's shrinking student base has already forced at least 40 US colleges to announce plans to shut down since 2020, and experts predict as many as 80 more schools may find themselves in the same situation in coming years, under a worst-case drop in enrollment. On the other side of the divide, the rising tide of seniors is placing more urgency on the need for housing to accommodate the oncoming 'silver tsunami,' with current trendlines pointing to a supply-demand imbalance of worrisome proportions. The nonprofit National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care estimates that some 806,000 of new retirement units will be required in the US by 2030. But in this year's first quarter, less than 20,000 units were under construction in the 31 markets NIC analyzes — the lowest level since 2013. Forming a Framework Against this backdrop, a growing cadre of school administrators and senior-living operators are joining forces to find solutions that address the needs of both constituents. In doing so, they are tapping into a movement that can trace its roots back to the 1980s and two pioneering midwestern institutions: Iowa State University and Indiana University. Both colleges were faced with the situation of retired administrators, professors and alumni who wanted to live out their golden years on their beloved campuses. In response, the schools started nearby developments to accommodate them, eventually partnering with senior living operators and helping to form a new framework. Since then, different iterations have blossomed across the US, from communities such as Lasell Village, which are on campus and require residents to agree to log 450 hours of learning each year, to those with looser affiliations. Some, like University of Alabama's Capstone Village community, are also on campus and have official partnerships with the university, but don't require residents to partake in programming. Others are simply located near a campus and share a less-formal connection with a university, like Legacy Pointe just off the main University of Central Florida campus. Schools often receive revenue through a land lease, royalty agreement or management contract. In rarer instances, they set up full or partial ownership of the retirement communities, sometimes through separate nonprofit organizations. Lasell Village was the brainchild of former President Tom de Witt, who landed on senior living as a way to leverage Lasell University's valuable land and bring another source of income onto its struggling balance sheet. With insolvency closing in, de Witt proposed transforming an unused parcel of land near the edge of campus as a place for retirees. It opened in 2000. 'I had to take Lasell Junior College literally out of bankruptcy,' he said in an interview, 'or there would be nothing here now.' Some abandoned campuses have been transformed into senior-living communities. That was the case for Newbury College in Boston, which shuttered in 2019, bowing to 'weighty financial challenges' driven by low enrollment and higher expenses. In the 20 years leading up to Newbury's closure, its headcount dropped from more than 5,300 students to about 600. Kisco Senior Living opened The Newbury of Brookline, an upscale senior living center on the closed college's campus, in December 2024. The development company HYM Investment Group bulldozed Newbury's classrooms and dorms to build the new retirement community, but were able to keep Mitton House, an 1896 mansion that was one of the school's architectural crown jewels. Doug Manz, HYM's chief investment officer, said closed college campuses can be attractive sites in crowded real estate markets like Boston or New York. Eastern Nazarene College's campus in Quincy, Massachusetts, which recently closed, has been floated for conversion. And the College of New Rochelle, less than 20 miles from midtown Manhattan, is potentially slated for senior housing. 'It's unfortunate, but small liberal arts colleges are disappearing,' Manz said. 'Meanwhile, there's high demand for senior housing. Both trends happening at the same time can create very unique opportunities.' Broadview, a senior living community on Purchase College's campus in Westchester County, a wealthy pocket within the greater New York area, saw rabid interest when it opened in December 2023, using about $400 million in municipal bonds to complete the development. Some 18 months later, the independent living space is full, with about 75 households on the waiting list, according to executive director Ashley Wade. 'There's been a lot of interest,' she said. 'It speaks to how many people want retirement on their terms. Our residents have been lifelong learners and they want that in their retirement, too.' Steve Shelov, a former pediatrician who retired a year-and-a-half ago, is emblematic of the kind of residents attracted to Broadview. The 80-year-old's packed schedule has included mentoring pre-med students, attending shows at Purchase College's performing arts center, meeting with school administrators and taking classes on art history and the Bible. 'If you look at my week, it's so full,' he said. As with most retirement communities, Broadview requires an up-front entrance fee, which in its case ranges from about $270,00 to as much as $2.5 million. At the end of the contract – when a resident dies or moves out – the facility pays 80% of the entrance fees to them or their beneficiary. They also pay monthly fees ranging from almost $4,000 to nearly $13,000. More Flexibility In return for their place on Purchase College's campus, Broadview pays $2 million to the school each year. Mike Kopas, Purchase's vice president for administration, said 75% of that goes toward student scholarships and 25% is dedicated to supporting faculty. Kopas said the income is a relatively small part of Purchase's balance sheet, but allows the school more flexibility and ability to offer aid to students. 'The scholarship dollars have so far been above and beyond what we'd been able to offer before,' Kopas said. As higher education becomes an increasingly challenging business, experts like Carle say they're getting more calls from cash-strapped colleges looking at retirement communities. Unfortunately, the characteristics that make a college unlikely to thrive in today's environment — small, private schools in remote areas — also make it a poor fit for senior living. 'I have to tell them, 'Look, you're a small liberal arts college in South Dakota with 900 students, 500 miles from anything,'' Carle said. 'There's just not a senior living market there.' There are other reasons that this collaboration can be tough to pull off: Senior housing companies — often under pressure to deliver shareholder returns — may find it challenging to wait out the bureaucratic processes of higher education. For example, Purchase College's leadership proposed bringing on a senior living facility in 2003. Doors opened two decades later in December 2023. Unsupportive neighbors and local government can also delay projects, like in the case of Lasell Village, when a zoning fight ended up in court, holding up progress for years. Schools also run the risk of partnering with unreliable companies. Carle points to Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida, which spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to prop up its senior living center through bankruptcy and construction delays. Other times, tensions flare once facilities have opened and retirees have moved in. At Mirabella, a senior living community on Arizona State University's campus, residents and the complex sued a nearby entertainment venue for 'incessant' and 'unrelenting' noise. For some students, the complaints brought other grievances with the retirement community to the surface. 'ASU's decision to build Mirabella while ignoring the needs of its student population shows its prioritization of money over academic success,' Haley Tenore wrote in a 2021 opinion column for the student newspaper. 'As students on campus struggle financially and are made to live in subpar housing conditions, the University continues to expand outward, sometimes in areas where it is not wanted.' Eventually, Mirabella and the venue reached a resolution and asked the court to dismiss the lawsuit. Meanwhile, other students have praised the on-campus retirement community for fostering unexpected friendships and creating new programs. 'Bonus grandmother' These arrangements have the best chance of success, experts say, when they emphasize a collaborative approach centered on intergenerational experiences and lifelong learning — not just seeing the partnership as a way to fill a budget gap. At Lasell Village, students fill notoriously difficult-to-staff dining hall roles and say they feel like they've got 200 grandparents. The organizations have partnered to host a 'senior prom' — senior in both senses of the word — for students and residents alike. Friendships have bloomed from those interactions. Courtney Tello, an elementary education major who graduated from Lasell University in May, considers Lasell Village resident Toni Miller her 'bonus grandmother.' 'Meeting Toni has been a major part of my college experience,' said Tello. 'She keeps me motivated and checks up on me, I know of so many students who could benefit from a friendship like this.' As for former Lasell University President de Witt, now retired himself, he moved in as a resident in August 2021, about a half mile from where he lived as the school's president. 'Of course I moved in, why would I not do that?' he said. 'I was president here for 19 years, this is my neighborhood.' 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Al Jazeera
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Al Jazeera
Germany breaks world record for largest string orchestra
Germany breaks world record for largest string orchestra NewsFeed Germany shattered the world record for largest string orchestra as 1,353 musicians performed Beethoven's 'Ode to Joy.' The intergenerational event brought together players of all ages, beating the previous record set in Hong Kong in 2018. Video Duration 01 minutes 07 seconds 01:07 Video Duration 01 minutes 30 seconds 01:30 Video Duration 02 minutes 11 seconds 02:11 Video Duration 01 minutes 28 seconds 01:28 Video Duration 02 minutes 27 seconds 02:27 Video Duration 02 minutes 19 seconds 02:19 Video Duration 01 minutes 36 seconds 01:36
Forbes
30-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Two Generations, One Home: Solutions For Ageing Societies & Companies
Sheila & Dela, Homesharers In an ageing world grappling with the dual crises of elder loneliness and unaffordable housing for the young, one social enterprise in the UK has quietly created an elegant, human-centred solution: homeshare. Founded in 2019, Two Generations connects older householders with younger home-sharers, creating intergenerational matches that foster companionship, offer practical help, and reduce housing stress for both sides. As Lisa Goldsobel, Head of Operations, explained in an interview, the idea isn't just timely—it's transformative. "We don't find lodgers, we find companions," she says. In 2025, for the first time, due to falling birthrates and increasing life expectancy, working-age adults' caring responsibilities will switch from being primarily focused on children to elderly parents. This will have a significant workforce impacts. It's projected that two million UK workers will reduce their hours to care for a dependent. A further 2.6 million will stop work altogether. Lisa Goldsobel, Head of Operations New solutions are desperately needed at both ends of the generational spectrum. The older need connection, the young affordable housing. Two Generations' CEO Sam Brandman cites a few key UK stats that summarise the challenge: The Model: Companionship, Not Care Goldsobel emphasises that Two Generations is not a caregiving service. 'Homesharers are not carers,' she said in an interview, 'They are flatmates with heart. They may prepare meals, run errands, or take walks—but mostly, they offer presence.' Definitions: Homeshare is a scheme that carefully pairs: The impact is profound: "We've had householders tell us they sleep better knowing someone is in the house. Family members call to say, 'I can breathe again knowing Mum isn't alone.'" The matches aren't random. They are the secret sauce to the initiative's success. Two Generations uses a combination of tech-enabled matching and deep human insight. "We have bespoke, award-winning technology that suggests top matches," says Goldsobel. "But then we interview everyone to ensure the fit is right." The average match lasts about a year, with many lasting far longer. One pairing involved a gentleman losing his sight who loved opera. He was matched with a young soprano studying at London's Royal College of Music. A match made in heaven. "They talked like they were speaking another language—a lot of Puccini and Verdi—and were both delighted. She sang to him nightly." Bottom Line: A Win for Every Generation The genius of the model is its multiple benefits for several generations in a single service: Home-owners receive around 10 hours of support per week for a symbolic contribution of £99. Home-sharers pay £399 monthly—often less than a third of London rental prices. "We ensure finances aren't a barrier," Goldsobel notes. "We offer bursaries to both sides. It's not a tenancy—it's an agreement built on support and shared lives." Corporate Awakening: Elder Care as a Workplace Issue As caregiving becomes a central midlife pressure, companies are feeling some of the pressures growing on their employees. "More people are looking after their parents than their children - for the first time in UK history," says Goldsobel. "One in four employees in the UK are now caregivers. Six hundred people leave work every day to care for an elder. It's becoming a major workplace issue." Two Generations offers homesharing as a service to employers which can be included as part of their corporate benefits package. Given the growing prevalence of eldercare relative to childcare, companies will want to quickly start treating elder care as they do childcare. By offering homesharing as an employee benefit, they retain talent, reduce absenteeism, and show they understand and support intergenerational responsibility. The response is promising. Large employers like Sainsbury's are implementing elder care policies. Wellness and housing platforms like Perkbox and HEKA are adding home-sharing to their offerings. Merck has just signed on. Companies in France are organising to create a coordinated policy and status for employee-carers. "We're seeing the penny drop," Goldsobel says. "Smart companies are waking up." Culture Shift: From Individualism to Interdependence While intergenerational living is natural in many Asian cultures, Anglo-Saxon countries have prioritised independence. But as life expectancy rises, isolation and loneliness in later life has become its own epidemic. "Loneliness has the equivalent negative health impact of smoking 15 cigarettes a day," Goldsobel notes. 'And it's avoidable. We can go back to living together, learning from each other, and building bonds.' She adds: "Success can be shared." Two Generations is part of a quiet revolution. It challenges the myth that ageing is a lonely business and that youth must struggle to find affordable housing. It reframes ageing as an opportunity for connection, empathy, and exchange. What Next? Two Generation's vision is to scale the concept and the adoption: "We want home-sharing to be a natural solution people think of when they say, 'How can I help Mum? How can I stay in the city I work in?'" Because in a world where we live and work longer, we may also need to learn to live together - again.
ABC News
30-06-2025
- Health
- ABC News
How the 'sandwich generation' is dealing with the 'soup' of parents, children and their own lives
Phyllis Foundis is juggling two phones, two languages, and her 95-year-old mother on FaceTime. Attempting to update details on her mother Barbara's health insurance, she recites addresses, translates between Greek and English, and explains to the insurance call centre worker that she is the primary caregiver for her mother. Also a parent to two teenage boys, Ms Foundis is a member of the "sandwich generation": people reaching middle age who switch constantly between intergenerational caregiving, paid work, and their own lives. A sandwich generation-focused survey from Violet — an NGO focused on planning for end-of-life care — has heard hundreds of respondents detail their struggles and pressures in supporting parents, children and being able to find time for themselves. One woman described it as a "continual trade-off" between caring for a parent and living her own life, as many others said caring for their own children was made difficult by the needs of aging parents. Another described the extreme mental health aspects of being a full-time carer for a son living with psychosis while also caring for her 98-year-old mother as being "insurmountable". "What I've learnt is I've got to be patient," Ms Foundis said of her own relationship with her mother. "I have a long to-do list, I've got other demands on my time, I've got my own goals I want to achieve, but my mother needs me." Ms Foundis's older brother lives several hours from Sydney, so she shoulders the primary care and organisation for Barbara's health and daily life, speaking with her almost every day on the phone and sometimes staying with her when she needs assistance. The 54-year-old also co-parents with her ex-partner, with one of their two children still living at home. Ms Foundis likened her myriad of roles and responsibilities to more of a "soup" than a sandwich. "Everyone's connecting to you in a different way." Demographer Bernard Salt told 702 ABC Radio Sydney that parents in their 50s like Ms Foundis were the most squeezed generation. Mr Salt said answers about unpaid caring work at home in the last census painted a picture of who was most likely to be caring for both their families' older and younger generations. "People most likely to be caring for someone in an unpaid capacity [are] 57," Mr Salt said. "Twenty-something kids, 80-something parents, 50-something sandwiches." Mr Salt's analysis shows by 2031, 60,000 people each year will turn 85, a fivefold increase from today as the baby boomer generation ages. He also said children were leaving home later in life as housing had become less affordable and the workforce demanded a greater level of tertiary qualifications compared to the 1960s, 70s and 80s. "People aren't as enabled to go into the workforce and to establish their own household earlier," Mr Salt said. The majority of caregivers for this bracket were female, Violet's survey found. Committee of Sydney research published in February showed women in Sydney worked an average of 13 hours more a week across paid and unpaid work compared to men. The committee's work found 4 per cent of Sydneysiders were formally caring for both parents and children, with nearly two-thirds of that figure women. Back on the phone, Ms Foundis is successful in updating her mother's health insurance details, and the call winds up. "She relies on me so much that it's important to be present with her rather than just seeing her as someone who's demanding more of me," she told 702 ABC Radio Sydney. "I'm very proud [of her]," Barbara said.
CNA
27-06-2025
- Business
- CNA
Mixed-age co-living spaces gain traction in Singapore
SINGAPORE: At a common area resembling a void deck, retiree Margaret Ho explains interest rates to two business students a third her age. Nearby, at an outdoor pickleball court, three youths are locked in a game of doubles with a wizened elderly, who chuckles as she keeps them on their toes with well-placed serves. They are all at a unique co-living project housed in the former Henderson Primary School, designed to bring together residents of different generations under one roof. Mdm Ho, who used to work in the banking sector, chose to stay in the shared living facility to give her children a peace of mind. The 69-year-old told CNA she looks forward to activities, such as calligraphy lessons taught by a senior resident and gym sessions organised by youth residents. 'The seniors just like to be able to talk to (their younger neighbours). My digital literacy is not as good, maybe they can teach me some skills. This kind of exchange … is interchangeable,' she said. Any young person between the ages 18 and 25 can rent there. But so far, those signing up are overseas students on study stints, who pay S$1,000 (US$800) a month to share a room with three others. 'For me, speaking English with the elders is a challenging but very important thing. It helps improve my English proficiency and makes me enjoy speaking English more,' said resident Bai Haochuan, a student from China. Fellow Chinese student Chen Linghang said: 'This feels really great, interacting with the seniors, teaching them how to use apps and software.' The location can accommodate about 100 youths and seniors. Senior rooms are between S$4,000 and S$6,500 a month, depending on care and meal options. An on-site clinic and caregivers are available. The former school building does not have elevators, so seniors stay on the ground floor while younger residents live upstairs. To encourage intergenerational interaction, all shared facilities are located downstairs. They include a basketball court, a table tennis area and a gym that has senior-friendly machines. TSTAP Henderson, the company behind the project, won a public tender from the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) to operate the space last year. It is targeting people from age 60 – whom they call "young seniors". 'They have a lot of experience to share. The younger generation also wants to learn from these young seniors,' said the firm's director Tome Oh. For instance, youths who aspire to become entrepreneurs can learn from seniors with business experience, he added. Currently, activities between the two groups are optional, but grocery vouchers could soon be offered to encourage people to join, said the facility's management. It is also looking for a community leader among the students who can spearhead the activities. PROJECT IN ADMIRALTY A similar multi-generational co-living space is also being set up at Admiralty Road East. Twenty heritage black and white bungalows will be turned into serviced apartments – a first for such conserved sites. Covering about 245,300 sq ft – more than four football fields – SLA manages the lease for the area. 'We recognise this demand for seniors looking out for more options on co-living concepts, as well as having interactions with the young generation, which helps with active ageing,' said Ms Carrie Wong, the statutory board's director of business planning and development. She added that SLA maintains a steady stream of state property released to the market to meet such demand. Since last year, two out of four tenders were granted with concepts that encourage independent senior living options. The authority said it is looking at market response and will consider letting out more state-owned properties for such uses. MORE SENIORS IN CO-LIVING Industry players said that contrary to popular belief that co-living appeals only to the young, they are seeing growing demand from older customers. Habyt, for example, a company that provides short- and long-term rentals, saw the percentage of tenants over 55 staying at its co-living facilities increase to 6.1 per cent last year, up from 3.5 per cent in 2023. The operator said the growing interest among the older folks is driven by flexibility, a sense of community and shared resources offered by such housing solutions. St Bernadette Lifestyle Village, a private assisted living provider, also stepped into the intergenerational co-living concept with its new site at Duku Road earlier this year. There, seniors occupy the ground floor while younger families stay on the second storey, each with their own amenities. The areas where the seniors roam are fitted with grab bars, smoke alarms and barrier-free access. For the older residents who need care services, monthly rental can go up to S$5,000. 'We've come up with a list of activities which we think are suitable. It gives people something to look forward to. We're seeing a lot of idealistic young people who actually want to get involved,' said Dr Belinda Wee, the company's director and co-founder. Her team is looking at boosting digital outreach and working with co-living operators to attract younger tenants. The operator hopes to get a longer lease so the project can be a stable, long-term investment. BETTER THAN CARE HOMES? Analysts said the concept is a shift away from nursing homes – these housing solutions are more casual and fluid, giving seniors more freedom, options and autonomy. 'The families are always invited to visit them. It's not a nursing home where there are hours of restriction. It's so important that family is still part of the whole community,' said Dr Kelvin Tan, programme head of the Singapore University of Social Sciences' minor in applied ageing studies. Such efforts foster a more inclusive society, combat loneliness, encourage intergenerational learning and understanding, while also providing affordable rent options for some groups, experts said. Dr Tan added that with Singapore's ageing society, an increasing number of people will be seeking companionship. "This is what we really want: the young helping the old and old helping the young. There's this exchange of relationship and wisdom," he said. "If we could encourage the two age groups to learn together, live together and to see that kind of respect under that whole principle of care, I think we will be a much more empathetic society."
