Help the elderly continue to live in their homes
90% of elders would prefer to age at home, but the resources just aren’t there. As we get older our social group tends to get smaller. Neighbors help neighbors stay neighbors.
Develop any idea you like. Meet once a month to share stories. Read plays. Eat together. Weekly woman or men’s coffee. Walking groups of various kinds. A monthly salon to discuss relevant issues. Trips to museums, etc.
It’s a great resource to have a number of people to rely on if I’m not able to manage a number of things. It’s great to be able to stay in my own own and be in control of my own schedule.
This is an opportunity for people who are transitioning from work to get involved in a meaningful way. Your network of friends narrows and you may have skills that get rusty. This is a way to use some of the expertise you have. Older people like to feel that they are valuable with this group of people, people who have been vetted… If we wait to figure this out there are going to be a whole lot of people in trouble. “Our mission is to fill the gap that other organizations don’t fill (such as Elders in Action).”
What is needed is a core group of about 5 - 10 people who volunteers who will shepherd the organization during its growth phase, do the outreach, build a base of support, get the members. That takes 2 - 4 years. It’s a grassroots process. Our goal is to start each group with about 30 members and volunteers. We try to build a base of 400 - 600 people by the time we open.
The Village Movement is a membership organization. The typical full service monthly membership is $45 for an individual. This includes up to 3 rides per week, access to all social events and the vetted vendor programs. Associated membership, $25 per month. Includes all social activities. And its a kind of insurance policy - ride to the airport, etc. Temporary upgrade up to six weeks to full service membership if there is an emergency. There is a background check based on seven years of addresses.
The Village Movement is a national organization that includes many local groups. Each village has its own government council. It began in 1999 in Boston. There are 200 villages active across the USA and another 150 in development.
The Village Movement
Local group website: www.riverwestvillage.org
Overall website: www.villagesnw.org
Interview
Villages Northwest
The Village Movement: Redefining "Aging in Place." Lynn trainer, Villages Northwest, and Lee Radovich,
https://kboo.org/program/retiredor-rewired
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