Two initiatives in Belgium

In Belgium, two recent ongoing initiatives are in line with the senior co- housing communities, and the idea behind their development refers to the seven BlueZone’s principles. These are the ‘Blue Zone’s Flanders’ project and the ‘Jardin des Paraboles’, with its leitmotif ‘Living Blue Zone’.

Triamant, one of the leading innovators in residential care in Flanders, creates residential neighbourhoods that, according to their slogan, ‘add life to the years and not just years to life’. With four neighbourhoods already in operation and two under construction in Flanders, Triamant wants to contribute to improving the quality of life of the elderly by following the seven principles of the life in a Blue Zone. The goal is to promote the autonomy of the residents, contribute to their vitality, offer integrated care when necessary, and create bonds of solidarity between people. Triamant combines the main advantages of traditional forms of housing within dynamic neighbourhoods. These give residents the feeling that they have their own home, with the added benefit of solidarity and access to round- the- clock care, as in a residential care complex. The entire infrastructure is accessible for people with reduced mobility. Just as in a nursing home, residents receive individual attention and all the care they need. People with a dependent partner can also continue to live together there, while a mix of generations is favoured in the four Triamant neighbourhoods. 

The Jardin des Paraboles is a housing project developed by the Promactif Group in an abandoned satellite telecommunication area in Southern Belgium. This project involves the creation of a new village infrastructure that provides all the necessary services for people with different needs, including the elderly. The infrastructure also includes a comfortable living environment and accommodation for people with reduced mobility and space for intergenerational contacts. The promoter wants to build the project in the spirit of Living Blue Zone and to facilitate ageing and the well- being of the elderly. Infrastructure should create the conditions for easier and spontaneous lifestyles for all residents of the community. Such an innovative project provides an opportunity to apply the seven principles of living in a Blue Zone to practice in the community.