Maxence Petit came up with the idea to create Cosima after noticing the limitations of the EHPAD system that housed his own grandmother.
The founder compares life to a journey : “If you leave for a week, you don’t lock yourself in your room for the last three days waiting for the plane to take off; you want to enjoy it until the end! Ultimately, life is the same.”
Cosima thus offers better social inclusion through large apartments that host several retirees within the same household in traditional residential buildings: “It’s Co-living for elderly people with loss of autonomy. We cater to individuals who can no longer stay at home due to this loss of autonomy, requiring daily or multiple daily support.”
The founder of Cosima specifies that these are large living spaces “where everyone will benefit from fairly large private areas and will share common living spaces in a model very similar to what one might find in a family home.”
The goal is to allow elderly individuals to maintain their identity, to remain themselves by creating an intergenerational dynamic through these new habitats.
To date, three Cosima residences have been established in Lourdes, St-cloud, and Enghien. Rent varies, depending on individuals' incomes, between 2000 and 4000 euros per month, including assistance.
After four years of experience, Maxence Petit’s greatest satisfaction is seeing elderly people “gain weight [...] and regain more autonomous mobility. They feel alive, even reborn.”
If you wish to deepen your knowledge on this topic: https://www.airzen.fr/les-dames-disis-la-cohabitation-une-solution-pour-mieux-vieillir/
