Communities are essential. As they grow, they play an even bigger role with our elderly friends, family, and other people facing long term problems of daily life. But unfortunately too often older people who need extra care are left in the shadows. This is a real problem and there is no clear answer on how to build a nice community.

Take the example of a community pyramid. It is mainly based on three simple facts: interaction is key, actions support everyone, and having a sense of belonging.

To start, interaction is a must. Without regular and meaningful contact, it is almost impossible to build a tight-knit group. This can happen in a neighborhood, a school, or online, non-formal contact is required.

Second, active participation is pulling our weight and helping the other people. This gives everyone a sense that everybody is important and has a role to play. People see each other on a regular basis, bouncing ideas each other and have a laugh.

Finally, to be effective, a community should have a clear sense of belonging. A friendly environment where everyone feels welcome and part of something bigger. Normally this also means sharing some stuff with common people, working together for a nice group.  The third layer whose center is being respectful and following the guidelines of the group. These elements together are the steps turning a group of people into a living community.

It turns out that this pyramid of community also works for older people living with long-term care needs, there are no major boundaries.  This means that older people can be included in a community quite easily. It needs a few changes but it is quite possible.

In the end, this pyramid can be a useful tool for people starting a community. It can guide leaders building communities, especially for those who need long term assistance.

Now the questions is: What makes a community really good? More people are investigating the impact and effectiveness of communities, and the results will be in soon.

The pyramid was built on relying on the science of systems, communities were studied in terms of a few things: vitality and community and long-term care with the guidance of the scientific methodology. The data came from two groups of 15 and nine. The conclusion was that the pyramid model is effective for communities and is easy to follow .

What Makes a Good Community?

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