QUOTE— Author

Aging in Community

Most Americans would prefer to “age in place” — as an alternative to institutional long-term care, to continue to live in their home with supportive services. While many elders and family members consider this a satisfactory option, others find it a hollow victory.

	Old age in art: In this detail from the last painting in Voyage of Life cycle by Thomas Cole (on display at the National Gallery), the angel guides the old man to heaven across the waters of eternity.

Often the home we have lived in for many years and to which many fond memories and deep relationships attach poses significant physical, financial, or emotional challenges and makes connection with family, friends, neighbors, and the community difficult or impossible.

A third way — which is neither aging in place nor institutional long-term care — is emerging: aging in community. Rooted in the view that elderhood is a distinct phase of the human life cycle — with its own gifts and challenges — the concept encourages a proactive strategy to create supportive neighborhoods and networks. Thus, the well-being and quality of life for elders at home becomes a measure of the success of the community. Aging in community advances the concept of being “a darn good neighbor” — and, as a result, promotes social capital, a sense of trust and mutual interconnectedness that is enhanced over time through positive interactions and collaboration in shared interests.

Accessing Services

...Basically we provide a service for people who are old or disabled. Any load you can't lift, any chore you don't feel up to, why, just call on us. Say you want your lawn chairs piled in your garage in the fall. Or your rugs rolled up and stored away in the spring. We can do that. A lot of our customers have a standing order—like, an hour a week. Others just telephone as circumstances arise. Whatever.

A group of older residents in Boston's Beacon Hill neighborhood took the germ of that idea... and improved upon it, creating “something new and wonderful — virtual assisted living...

“The idea is that you stay in your own apartment, and any service you need comes to you, a la carte, as well as a rich program of social and cultural activities... Most of the roughly 300 members pay an annual fee of $500, which then counts against the cost of services. Beacon Hill Village can find you anyone from an electrician to a nurse, provide in-home meals or exercise classes, and basically provide anything a residential program does...

“About one-fifth of its members receive subsidized services, thanks to support from the Boston Foundation and several other grants. The rest pay for the services they use, though Beacon Hill Village does negotiate member discounts. It also benefits from the help of neighborhood volunteers.”¹

 Go to The Retrofit

 ¹“A New Model for Elder Care: We can provide assisted-living communities to all our seniors,” by Robert Kuttner (The American Prospect [Online Edition], May 12, 2005)

 “Declaration of Independents: Home is where you want to live forever” by Barbara Basler (AARP Bulletin, December 2005)

 “Aging at Home: For a Lucky Few, a Wish Come True” by Jane Gross (New York Times, February 9, 2006)

 ²Beacon Hill Village  74 Joy Street ~ Boston, MA 02114 ~ (617) 723-9713 ~ beaconhillvillage.org
     Beacon Hill Village regularly gets inquiries about duplicating this unique program and has responded by developing “The Village Concept: A Founder’s Manual.” If you would like to learn more about starting an organization similar to Beacon Hill Village in your own neighborhood, you may order a copy of the manual from their website.