The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

13| The IFP -H alton H ills | T hursday,A pril 26,2018 theifp.ca Amica at Georgetown residents will enjoy a premium, all-inclusive lifestyle in a beautiful new community. We will offer first-class amenities and services. Our professional wellness staff will offer care and support 24/7. Georgetown Market Place (across from Mark's), 280 Guelph St Expect More.TM Independent Living • Assisted Living • Memory Care Visit our Presentation Centre today! Amica at Georgetown 224 Maple Ave 905-702-1555 amica.ca/georgetowna t G e o r g e t o w n M ain St S M ountainview Rd S PRESENTATION CENTRE M ap le A ve Delrex Blvd Sa rg en t Sa rg en t R dRd GuelphGuelphGuelph StSt Amica at Georgetown CEDARVAVAV LE PARK GEORGETOWN MARKET PLACE Expect a first-class experience. Build it, and they will come. That's the mantra that Janette Ledwith is using, after gutting her century home and turning it into future site of a communal living project - the first of its kind in the area. Ledwith was like many single senior women, having recently lost her husband, she found her- self living alone in a large centu- ry home in Rockwood. "I was rattling around in this big house," she said. "It didn't seem fair that I had all this space." Ledwith saw the advertise- ment for an information session about co-living, a concept she says, that can be hard to fully un- derstand and embrace. "Nowadays, we're so individu- al," said Ledwith, noting that so- cial isolation can be crippling for seniors. She said that financially, and physically, it can be difficult for seniors to live alone in a large house. "It seems to answer a lot of needs that older people have," said Ledwith, explaining that it is an opportunity for seniors to stay independent later on in life. Co-living is a concept that is growing in popularity in the GTA, and as a result, Halton Re- gion is supporting the develop- ment of a registry for those inter- ested in co-living. "It's a concept that's really tak- ing off," said Heather Thompson, the manager of age-friendly ini- tiatives. She says that while millenni- als are practicing co-living in many similar forms, the concept is rapidly expanding to seniors. "I do get a lot of interest from older women," she said, explain- ing that the registry links people up who are offering space and looking for spaces to live. There is a criminal record check re- quired. "The formal way just helps with that protection," said Thompson. "I just think there's so much potential." Ledwith, Elisabeth Hines, Anne Snell and Bonnie Mullen partnered to create Oak Hill Co- Living, a shared home of six units geared toward active se- niors. The women chose to gut Ledwith's century home, and build an addition on the adjoin- ing lot. The house has been con- verted into that of a mansion - a home of nine bathrooms, seven bedrooms, a kitchen with two dishwashers and a fridge with double doors. Each bedroom has its own bathroom, large closets and fire- place. Downstairs, the basement has been converted into a living room den, and there is space spe- cifically for crafts and creative activities. "It's the shaping of a commu- nity," said Ledwith, explaining that the idea is to create a home, a family - essentially. "It will work if we respect each other," she said. "If we deal with our differences and our prefer- ences together." It's not a college dorm. Those in the home will be owners of the house. Each of the six owners will have their names on the mortgage, they are mak- ing an investment. Families of the residents, and their powers of attorney will be in contact with the home, in the event of emergencies or dimin- ishing health. "I think people who live here will live longer, live healthier and have new friends," said Led- with. "It's the companionship I think that's at the heart of this." NEWS Rockwood women trail blazing co-living for seniors ALEXANDRA HECK aheck@metroland.com Janette Ledwith has turned her home into a co-living building for six seniors. Units will be listed for sale this spring. Alexandra Heck/Metroland