Growing Old Together
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Marie de Hennezel continues on her quest to explore the art of growing old. It now leads her to uncover a unique and comfortable type of communal living: at home, but with other elderly people in small, tight-knit communities.
This project, which is being overseen by the co-founder of the charity Béguinage Solidaire, Tristan Robet, advocates for an innovative approach to life that is more and more people-focused. His organisation is built with a personal touch, where everyone is involved. By doing things collectively such as walking, gardening, meditating, cooking, and DIY projects, the residents share a reciprocal pledge of moral support. A commitment to living at home, but together, with a spirit of generosity, selflessness, and trust: guidelines that reinforce, and will continue to reinforce, feelings of belonging and security for everyone involved.
Marie de Hennezel and Tristan Robet tell us the story of this humanist initiative with verve and thoughtfulness; a story which goes well beyond merely living arrangements, and speaks to elderly people who want to remain free to make their own choices, while continuing to give meaning to their lives.