A student moves into a senior residence in Digne-les-Bains in exchange for a few hours of companionship

In Digne-les-Bains, an innovative initiative combining intergenerational solidarity and the fight against student poverty is taking shape. Elsa, a nursing student, recently moved into the Domitys senior residence, where she enjoys comfortable housing in exchange for 15 hours of weekly time spent with residents. This program, rooted in a spirit of mutual support, perfectly illustrates how social cohesion programs are adapting to contemporary challenges. The originality of this formula is based on a mutual and beneficial exchange, where young people invest in their elders, bringing dynamism and companionship while having access to an affordable housing solution. At the same time, the project embodies this dynamic in a tradition of hospitality and exchange that is gaining ground across senior residences in France, between private initiatives such as Réside Études Seniors, Les Jardins d’Arcadie, and Villa Médicis, and institutional actors such as the National Agency for Personal Services and France Bénévolat. An innovative intergenerational housing model in Digne-les-Bains to address the dual challenges of student housing and senior isolation

In Digne-les-Bains, the Domitys residence offers a modern and secure living environment for seniors, while opening its doors to younger generations like Elsa. This comfortable home is in line with the philosophy of initiatives such as Les Senioriales and Odalys Seniors, which are reinventing cohabitation and forging strong bonds between the ages. Elsa, who has been living in the residence for a few hours, benefits from a fully equipped apartment, while seniors see her presence as a source of life and conviviality.

This program emphasizes that the housing offered is not free and without commitment. In exchange, the student devotes 15 hours per week to leading workshops, offering group or individual activities, and, above all, providing attentive listening to residents often weakened by loneliness. This social membrane within the residence proves vital in many ways. For example, Elsa organizes memory game sessions and gentle physical motivation workshops, adapted to the abilities of the elderly. These interactions not only reduce their isolation but also improve their psychological well-being.

Furthermore, this type of model is in line with the recommendations of the National Agency for Personal Services, which promotes intergenerational initiatives to provide personalized support to the senior population. This local experience illustrates the synergy between a network of associations – such as France Bénévolat or Uni-Cité – and specialized private institutions, creating strong bridges between services and residents. These initiatives are helping to transform traditional, more static senior living facilities into dynamic and socially engaged living spaces. By 2025, this type of housing, which embraces the values ​​of generational exchange, offers a structuring response to the intersecting challenges of an aging population and student poverty.

Discover all the benefits and advice for a student living in a senior living facility: a secure, intergenerational environment conducive to academic success.

Elsa de Masi, a 24-year-old student at the Nursing Training Institute (IFSI), embodies this new figure of mutual support and social connection that is so relevant in contemporary senior living facilities. Arriving in the bright living room of the Domitys residence, she quickly formed a warm bond with the residents, who had welcomed this unprecedented generational mix with great kindness from the very beginning. Her days are structured around classes, practical training sessions, and the activities she leads within the residence, a balance that demonstrates the complementarity of her commitments.

In this role, Elsa doesn’t limit herself to mere companionship but also plays an active role in maintaining their cognitive and social fitness. For example, she leads workshops developed in conjunction with her teaching at the IFSI, some of which aim to stimulate the autonomy of older adults or prevent the worsening of common pathologies. The trust established with each resident is based on patient and attentive dialogue, which she sometimes extends with home visits or informal exchanges. Through her involvement, Elsa illustrates the potential of intergenerational synergies within the framework of programs such as Réside Études Seniors or Elogia Résidences, which promote the meeting of these two populations.

In Digne-les-Bains, this approach has met with a positive response, validated by the enthusiastic feedback from seniors, particularly those involved in the residence’s community life, and by facility managers, convinced of the measurable benefits for residents’ well-being. In this sense, a doubly beneficial effect is observed: students gain easier access to housing – a major challenge in their often winding life cycle – while seniors see their daily lives revitalized by this proximity. This vivid testimony raises the broader question of the social role of familiar senior residences and their ability to integrate innovative shared living arrangements.

The emergence of partnerships between senior residences and students in 2025 as a social response to demographic challenges

Collaboration between senior residences and students, such as that pursued at the Domitys residence in Digne-les-Bains, is now spreading across France, from Haute-Loire to Cognac, including Bron. These partnerships are rooted in a national challenge: simultaneously addressing the growing isolation of older people and the shortage of affordable housing for young people. Renowned groups such as Les Jardins d’Arcadie, Villa Médicis, and Odalys Seniors are investing in these innovative solutions, which they add to their traditional serviced residence offerings. In this context, initiatives such as Générations Part’âges constitute true social laboratories, promoting active generational diversity.

The model is based on an exchange approach, in which young people provide a local service, which may include activities, tours, or simply a comforting presence, in exchange for housing at a preferential rate or fully covered. This system also inspires local authorities, which support residents and students through local assistance programs and subsidies. For example, the National Agency for Personal Services encourages collaborations combining services and housing, while France Bénévolat is paving the way for community initiatives supporting youth volunteering. By 2025, this social alliance is emerging as a promising avenue in the face of the demographic challenges linked to the rapidly aging French population.

Beyond Digne-les-Bains, this trend is spreading with the support of organizations like Uni-Cité, which promotes civic engagement among young people in social and cultural settings. These partnerships usher in a new chapter in the very concept of senior housing, now seen as a vibrant and supportive ecosystem, a vector of multiple connections and innovative organizations. This model echoes the mottos of residences such as Domitys and Elogia Résidences, convinced that intergenerational cohabitation energizes the hearts of both residents and students, strengthening a sense of belonging and mutual recognition.

How this initiative inspires other territorial projects and the transformation of public housing policies

The success of the formula in Digne-les-Bains is triggering a broader reflection on public housing policies and the integration of intergenerational objectives into local development strategies. This innovative model is being studied by several partners for replication in other residences and areas, adapting to local characteristics and the specific needs of the populations concerned.

For example, in certain municipalities in Haute-Loire, Senior Study Residences already structure their offerings around housing accompanied by social engagement, adopting the principles of the Générations Part’âges program. In Cognac, senior residences now have dedicated spaces for socializing led by young volunteers, thus strengthening social ties and breaking the isolation of residents, as recently reported.

This movement is also influencing the architectural and functional design of residences, which is geared toward common areas that encourage social interaction. Private sector players, such as Odalys Seniors and Villa Médicis, are working with local authorities to adjust their reception models to fully integrate the intergenerational dimension, while associations such as Uni-Cité and France Bénévolat are contributing their expertise in social support and training.

In terms of public policy, some administrations are now introducing specific aid to support mixed-use co-ownerships aimed at bringing together students and seniors. They are also encouraging the experimentation of new forms of solidarity accommodation, in line with approaches promoting sustainable development and social inclusion. This trend has a clear ambition: to make senior residences not just places of housing but also true social centers, open to exchange and recognition of the reciprocal skills of residents across generations.