The fundamental objective of this project is to communally search for a satisfactory to pass the last years of life. We do not understand the phase of life that is strictly final, in which age or sickness can deteriorate one in such a way that they can barely take care of themselves and require significant assistance in order to attend to their basic needs. We understand the last years of life as a phase that is actually quite long, that people approach or reach at the end of their working life– their children are independent, but at the same time we realize that our capacities to act in our environment is changing. This gives way to us thinking about making changes in our living conditions in order to adapt to the new circumstances. We think that an adequate way of doing this is to put many aspects of our lives in common with others that are in the same circumstances and have fundamentally the same way of thinking. In order to accomplish this we are creating a Social Center for Communal Living, Assistance, and Services for Seniors in a facility that allows for adequate attention to residents according to their needs.
The facility has individual lodging that is large enough to allow independence and reasonable comfort, but it is smaller and easier to maintain than former living spaces adapted to other family needs. Services provided include a dining room, cleaning, and laundry, which allow the resident to be free from such tasks that become increasingly more difficult with time. The facility also includes spaces that facilitate meeting and communicating with others and communal living between all of the residents. The closeness and harmony fostered with other people with will allow there to be mutual support and friendly help in the face of small difficulties that are encountered. When the state of a resident requires more continuous and professional attention, this care will be given within their habitual environment, which will facilitate the resident’s ability to deal with their limitations or problems as they occur.
From a psychological standpoint, this way of life combines independence and cooperative participation. It seeks to avoid the loneliness and isolation that are so common in our cities, which tend to foster impersonal relationships. This way of living facilitates the formation of networks, which are vital to identity and social assimilation and are especially necessary older social networks (with family, work, political movements, etc.) are no longer the most adequate for the current situation.
