Senior shared apartments: Live together and beat loneliness!
Oberlaa Stadt is planning community spaces and a Kneipp path for seniors to promote social integration and quality of life.

Senior shared apartments: Live together and beat loneliness!
An exciting project for seniors is being built in the heart of Vienna, which not only offers modern living space, but also a lively community. How the standard reported, common rooms, a fitness room and a guest apartment are planned on the ground floor of the new residential complex. The aim of this initiative is to promote social coexistence where fit people in their third age not only live but also actively belong to it. A beautiful garden will be equipped with a stage for events and a Kneipp path with steps, handrails and pebbles.
The initiator Veronika Holzknecht explains that the senior shared apartment not only offers the opportunity to live in shared spaces, but that a lively exchange with younger residents is also sought. Residents should not only look after children in the house, but also provide tutoring. “We want seniors to be actively integrated into the community and benefit from each other,” emphasizes Holzknecht.
Benefits of living together
What are the advantages of a senior shared apartment? The answer is obvious: cost-effectiveness! Like the website seniorenwohngemeinschaften.de describes, staying in a senior living community is not only cheaper than in conventional nursing homes, but also offers the chance to live together. Residents not only share rent, but also responsibilities and leisure activities, which makes life easier in old age.
However, there are a few requirements to consider when moving into a senior living community. Good interpersonal relationships, the willingness to make compromises and active participation are required. Loners have a hard time in such communities, as positive togetherness and commitment are essential. The financial relief through shared costs benefits many seniors who see living in a shared apartment as an attractive option.
How does the foundation work?
Setting up a senior living community requires a lot of preparatory work and planning. On proactiveo.de It is pointed out that a clear distribution of tasks and legal foundations are crucial. In addition, the residential property should be barrier-free and located close to sources of supply. The organization can take place through a common club member or a cooperation agreement. To ensure that everything runs smoothly, contracts for rental and support services must also be carefully drawn up.
Another exciting point: Senior shared apartments are not only on the rise in Vienna. They are also enjoying growing popularity in Germany. The number of classic senior shared apartments rose from 2,350 in 2019 to 4,434 in 2023. More and more older people are realizing that living together not only makes financial sense, but also significantly improves their quality of life. Laughing together, doing household chores or exchanging ideas about everyday questions: all of this strengthens solidarity and helps counteract loneliness.
The initiative in Vienna is a way to promote togetherness and at the same time increase the well-being of residents - an ideal example of a future-oriented form of living for seniors!