In my research I have come across “villages” that serve as ways to help the elderly age in place. A generation or two ago, it was believed that when you hit a certain age you were supposed to enter a retirement or nursing home; however, times have changed. Aging no longer has to result in the loss of a family built home and Village to Village Network is making this possible. Villages bring neighbors together to help other neighbors. For an annual fee of $700 or $950 a couple, volunteers coordinate to provide older residents with services that help them live independently. The village movement originated in Boston, and has rapidly grown from 50 in 2010, to 124 this year. Senior villages are typically organized in neighborhoods to offer elder residents a variety of volunteer services including grocery delivery and transportation. Villages such as these have made asking for help easier, and are building a happier life for people who do not want to abandon their homes.
If you’re interested in finding out if there’s a village near you or if you’d like to join the village network, you can find further information at: http://www.vtvnetwork.org
