Margie Sigman

ASHEVILLE -- Broadway Street, in downtown Asheville, follows an ancient Native American trade route , so it is entirely fitting that a new kind of outdoor meeting place will be coming to this street in 2021. The Center for Craft is working in collaboration with members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (ECBI) to create a public art parklet “to preserve and advance the important craft legacy of western North Carolina.”

“Aging in place” is a popular concept among seniors these days. A 2018 AARP poll showed 3 in 4 older adults (50+) want to live at home as long as they possibly can. That’s great for people with homes, but what about homeless seniors, or homeowners threatened with foreclosure, or renters facing eviction?

What does “aging in place” mean to you? The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines it as "the ability to live in one's own home and community safely, independently, and comfortably, regardless of age, income, or ability level." AARP supports aging in place as one of eight domains that make a community age-friendly.

“We Had to Get Creative Very Quickly”

If you’ve been home-bound for a while, your indoor scenery may be getting old. You’ve probably cleaned out a closet or two by now, but what about amending your home environment to make it safer? A tip sheet from the RL Mace Universal Design Institute (UDI) can help you with that. “These few simple changes can make a difference,” explains Richard Duncan, Executive Director of UDI. “They can get you thinking more about home safety and might very well result in a plan for more substantial changes later.”

Smack dab in the middle of bustling West Asheville is a four-acre “preserve” that is dedicated to a different kind of group living. Called Westwood, it is a co-housing community of about 50 people ranging in age from 3 to 95. Residents live in homes that are clustered together on part of the property, leaving plenty of shared open spaces for gardens, woods, paths and play and sitting areas. A large, shared Common House contains meeting and dining rooms, a large kitchen, guest rooms, co-working spaces and laundry facilities.