Leuven follows Ghent example with housing for students and elderly

“We notice that elderly people often suffer from loneliness and students have difficulties finding a proper room,” OCMW president Erik Vanderheiden told Het Nieuwsblad. “It would be good to match elderly people with students who want to keep them company by moving into one of their rooms.”

The project thus aims to improve the social cohesion between generations in Leuven. It would also be financially favourable for both parties: The elderly person would get an additional income and the student would have to pay less rent in return for his commitment.

Casa Cura will only involve elderly people who are already taking part in an assistance project run by home nursing organisation Landelijke Thuiszorg. Similar projects from abroad demonstrate that finding a suitable and sustainable match is not easy and that preliminary meetings are necessary.

To set up the project, the partner organisations are counting on a subsidy of €19,000 from the province of Flemish Brabant. In a pilot project, they would try to find three matches, and by the next academic year, the first students should move in with the elderly people.

Photo: KU Leuven/Rob Stevens