Intergenerational living takes many forms. It includes communities that house older adults and younger people with the intention of supporting and strengthening intergenerational relationships, as well as multigenerational households, which can include three or more generations of
family living together.
Healthier Lives Across Generations: A Blueprint for Intergenerational Living is focused on intentional intergenerational living, or communities open to people of all ages that have a deliberate focus on fostering intergenerational interaction and relationships. The Blueprint is centered on the need for safe and sustainable housing that improves health and well-being among people with low or moderate incomes who have historically been left out of affordable and accessible living options.
The goal of the Blueprint is to promote intergenerational living that
- provides adequately for safety, health, and the basic necessities of life,
- promotes programs, policies, and practices that increase cooperation, interaction, interdependence, and understanding between people of different generations, and
- enables all ages to share their talents and resources, and to support each other in relationships that benefit both individuals and their community.
This Blueprint is about promoting living options that combat ageism and are infused with programs and architectural design features like common areas and outdoor spaces that facilitate positive interactions and experiences across generations.