Rural Cooperative Housing for Older Adults: An Emerging Challenge for Extension Educators

As the American population continues to age, identifying alternative housing options for older Americans, particularly those who wish to remain in rural communities, will pose a challenge to families and community leaders. This article presents findings of a survey of residents of seven rural housing cooperatives oriented toward serving older residents. The results reveal that residents were influenced to move to the cooperatives primarily by considerations involving ease of home maintenance and a desire to remain in their communities. The findings also demonstrate that residents believe that living in cooperative housing has had a positive influence on their quality of life. Extension educators should consider prioritizing educational efforts to teach clientele about rural cooperative housing.