Could Your Home Improve Your Health and Wellbeing?
What if your home did more than provide shelter? What if it actively improved your mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing every single day?
At Tākaka Cohousing, we’ve seen first-hand how living in a cohousing community - designed for connection, care, and sustainability - can have a powerful impact on your health.
It’s not just about eco homes and shared facilities (though we love those too!). It’s about the subtle, life-enhancing difference it makes when you're surrounded by people who notice how you’re doing, offer to share a meal or child-minding, and are there with a helping hand or kind word.
While community living has its challenges (hello, personal growth!), it also creates a lasting sense of belonging.
1. Connection: The Ultimate Health Tonic
Humans are wired for connection. Countless studies show that strong social ties can reduce stress, boost immunity, and even increase lifespan.
In our cohousing neighbourhood in Golden Bay, connection is part of daily life - through shared spaces like our Common House, regular community dinners, and friendly chats along the garden path.
You don’t have to schedule your social life - it flows naturally. And when you need quiet time, your private home is just steps away.
2. Built-in Support Systems
In a cohousing community, the “village” becomes real again.
Childcare and school runs can be shared.
Elders live surrounded by a caring network.
When someone’s unwell, meals appear on their doorstep.
When someone has a win, the whole community celebrates.
This natural safety net makes life feel lighter, less lonely, and more resilient. You're not doing it all alone - and that reduces stress on every level.
3. Everyday Connection to Nature
Our neighbourhood is designed to bring you closer to the land. With room for gardens and fruit trees, the green spaces draw you outside. Whether you're picking herbs, digging in the vege patch, or simply enjoying the sunshine, being in nature improves mood, reduces anxiety, and promotes physical activity.
The car-free neighbourhood layout means walking to/from your car. Yes, sometimes it is raining, and requires a little more planning. But it also means you have a closer connection to the weather, the changing seasons, the moon and the stars. This connects you with greater natural cycles and rhythms than you would if your car was at your back door.
And let’s not forget the food! Community shared meals often feature delicious, homegrown, organic produce - nourishing the body and soul.
4. Simpler Living, Greater Wellbeing
Living in a low-impact, intergenerational community also means:
Less financial stress thanks to shared resources and carpooling
Energy-efficient homes that are warm and dry
Shared decision-making that gives everyone a voice
A life that feels more meaningful, mindful, and sustainable
Personal growth is inevitable when you are living closely with others, navigating decision-making in a collective setting. So many ideas and opinions that need to be voiced and heard. However, instead of seeing the challenges of personal growth as a negative, it’s helpful to reframe it as a positive, because without it we can easily stagnate and become rigid in our positions. Learning to communicate well with those we live with, overcoming challenges that arise and learning how to resolve conflict together, adds to our personal wellbeing and creates a more meaningful life.
“Learning to communicate well with those we live with, overcoming challenges that arise and learning how to resolve conflict together, adds to our personal wellbeing and creates a more meaningful life. ”
5. Wellbeing Activities in Tākaka, Golden Bay
Outside of the cohousing neighbourhood, Golden Bay is rich with wellbeing opportunities:
🌿 Sustainable Living Centre – Learn permaculture and grow food
🧘♀️ Yoga, Meditation & Qigong Classes – Daily practices to support mental and physical balance
🏋️ Local Fitness Classes – For all levels and abilities
🥾 Outdoor Adventures – Hike or bike through Abel Tasman and Kahurangi National Parks
🎨 Creative Workshops & Arts Scene – Tap into your artistic side in our vibrant local community
Start Your Cohousing Journey
If you're curious about a healthier, more connected way of living, we’d love to hear from you. We’re currently taking expressions of interest for our second cohousing neighbourhood.
When you feel supported in your everyday life, everything else starts to feel more possible.
