VENICE -- More aging Americans, especially baby boomers approaching retirement, want the privacy of their own homes while also having easy connections to neighbors.

They're increasingly finding it in a concept called "cohousing," according to Zev Paiss, a national expert who will speak Saturday in Venice.

Cohousing is a development style that started in Denmark about 30 years ago. It features clusters of individually owned homes with common areas such as a dining room, a clubhouse, a guest room or a library.

Most cohousing developments in the United States include a mix of people of various ages, from children to retirees. But interest is growing in elder cohousing, targeting people 65 and older, Paiss said. A group of people, typically in 15 to 40 homes, join together to create their own neighborhood.

"The biggest advantage is it allows residents to age in place while surrounded by a community of supportive neighbors," said Paiss, co-founder of the Elder Cohousing Network in Boulder, Colo. "You're surrounded by people who know you and care for you."

Paiss, who has helped residents form several such neighborhoods, will be the featured speaker at an informational meeting Saturday in Venice.

Exploring a cohousing development for Southwest Florida emerged from discussions sponsored by SCOPE, a civic group that has examined ways to make Southwest Florida a better place for people to live as they age. Participants in the meeting will also consider the possibility of creating an elder cohousing development on a 2.5-acre site in Punta Gorda.

Paiss said many developments target seniors, and feature amenities such as parks and clubhouses with kitchens and meeting rooms.

But most of them are large, and neighbors come together largely at random.

In a cohousing development, the homeowners agree ahead of time to join together before construction begins.

By keeping the development smaller, neighbors get to know one another and can offer help when needed. That, Paiss said, can help people live independently longer.

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