Building Community in Intergenerational Neighborhoods

This is my son and our neighbor, Joan (pronounced Jo-Ann). Their age difference is 85 years, and they’re buds. He brings the newspaper and mail to her door in the winter, so she can avoid her icy driveway. Each week, she’ll see him playing outside and call him over to give him a bonus reward - a week's worth of comics, pulled from the newspaper. He returns, grinning, to enjoy the latest Garfield.

Our street has the widest possible span of ages, every decade is represented, from newborns in strollers to 90+ year-old original owners. It’s kinda magical. Every life stage has its own challenges, and we help each other. I appreciate the extra sets of eyes on my children when they’re exploring outside. I can help someone literally get back on their feet, avoiding a call to 911. Younger families provide vitality and energy, older ones provide stability and knowledge.

It wasn’t supposed to be this way - all the experts said empty-nesters would downsize and move to condos in walkable areas. Instead, a sizable number of people stayed put. And it shouldn’t be too surprising, Minnetonka is a great place to live in general, and we have many programs and resources for people who choose to age in place.

That being said, the experiences of these seniors vary widely - some are isolated, others are more visible and integrated. Minnesotans are self-reliant people, sometimes to a fault, making it hard to identify and address needs. So, look around your neighborhood. Do you have someone on your block who might need help getting their garbage to the curb? Offer it! Do you need help? Ask! In my experience, creating these small interdepencies is what creates a real community.