In the 1990s, we heard often that “It takes a village to raise a child.” These days more and more towns across the country are adopting the idea that it takes a village to age seniors in place.
On April 11, the Council on Aging, Friends of the Council on Aging, and the League of Women Voters presented the last program in their Housing Matters series—a look at how the village concept allows older people to remain in their homes with supportive services. Two speakers presented different models and different experiences.
Bob Lotz, of Groton, began the program by pinch-hitting for a speaker who had been taken ill but had sent along his PowerPoint introduction. He described how the village concept started in the early 2000s with a group of residents of Beacon Hill who were alarmed that many elderly friends were moving away. They wanted to find a way of helping people age in place and keeping the community together. Their idea led to an organization where people pay to join and in return receive services. Word spread about the success of the Beacon Hill Village, and in 2007 a national network, Village to Village, was established. Today there are 200 such villages across the country and many more in the works.
Many models
“If you have seen one village, you have seen one village,” said Lotz, explaining that there are many different models and variations; each village is custom-made to fit the needs of its particular constituents. Some run on a barter system; some have a central administration and “spokes” of members; others are under the auspices of an established nonprofit. However, he said, there are three key components of any village. First, services are provided by vetted volunteers—services such as point-to-point rides, technical assistance, grocery delivery, and help with seasonal chores or one-time fix-its. Second, participants have access to a list of providers of professional health care in their homes. And last, members are offered a range of social activities, from museum trips to affinity groups such as knitting, political discourse, and lectures.
In starting a village, organizers assess what services and activities a town already offers its seniors, through a Council on Aging or a nonprofit group, and then it makes a plan to fill the gaps. Most villages have membership fees and also do private fundraising. Cost of membership varies, depending on whether there is a paid staff to recruit members and keep records and a schedule or whether those things are done by volunteers. But there are always insurance and publicity costs. Usually there are provisions for subsidizing members who cannot afford the fee. Lotz said a membership in Village to Village gives mentorship and access to best practices, among other benefits.
Newton at Home
Maureen Grannan, executive director of Newton at Home, is a full-time employee in an office also housing four part-time employees: programs director, volunteers coordinator, and two people in charge of professional services. She said 45 percent of the money comes from memberships, which are $660 per year for a single person, $780 for a household, $595 for a nine-month period, and $295 for an introductory period. Fundraising and grants fund 55 percent of the administrative costs.
This is the fifth anniversary of Newton at Home, although it was three years in the making. It has grown from 60 members to 205. Grannan said their mission is to build a community within the community; their greatest concern is that people suffer from social isolation. She said the biggest challenges are membership recruitment, scheduling, and fundraising. What is not a problem is finding volunteers, and there are currently 100 volunteers, ages 13 to 95. Everybody has something to give, she said, but some people need help figuring out what that is. There are flower arrangers, a baker, a seamstress, computer experts, and many more.
Gannan told her favorite story about the time she went to interview a potential volunteer, a musician, who was finishing up with a student when she arrived. She waited with the musician’s husband, whose friendly, booming voice immediately impressed her. He was a radio news anchor who said he would love to volunteer but didn’t know what he could offer. Gannan said she would give it some thought. Shortly after that, a 93-year-old member confessed to Gannan that she was “starting to get old” and would feel better if someone could check on her every day. For the past two years that client has had a call every day from a friendly, booming voice.
Groton Neighbors
Lotz shared his experiences as president of Groton Neighbors, a startup village scheduled to open in the fall. The corporation will provide members with services, but it will not offer programs or activities yet. All members are also volunteers; the model is that of neighbors helping neighbors throughout the town of 11,000. There is no paid staff and no physical location. Dues are $120 to cover insurance and mailing costs and to pay for Club Express, a computer program used for scheduling a request with an appropriate volunteer.
Lotz explained that he and a woman resident first took the village proposal to a gathering of about 40 people. From there they formed a steering committee and put together a plan that they are now piloting. He attributes three “key underpinnings” to the group’s success. First, the Village to Village network, which he said was invaluable in providing mentoring and information from other villages. Second, persistent program and meeting management. The group met twice monthly and strictly adhered to an agenda and followed through on action items. And third, the board itself, whose nine members are committed, aligned in vision, are good communicators, and have a range of skills.
Asked how a village model differs from a COA, Lotz pointed out that a village model is a bottoms-up movement not subject to town politics or open meeting laws. It is therefore more flexible and immediate in what it can offer.
The sponsors of the program hope to assemble a group interested in exploring the possibility of having a village here in Harvard as an answer to how one can age in place.
For more information, contact Katie Petrossi at katie@petrossi.com.
