Village Programs: Helping Older
Adults Age in Place
Virginia Blueprint for Livable Communities
Hearing
May 9, 2014
Candace Baldwin
Director of Strategy, Aging in Community
Why is the Village Model the Right Model Now?
Age Wave Opportunities
Because there are more people
age 65 and older than in any
time in our history.
US Residents Over Age 65:
In 2006 there were
37 million
71.5 MILLION
In 2030 there will be
71.5 million
By 2025, 25% of Virginia
population will be 60+
Because people over
age 85 are the fastest
growing segment of the
US population.
Because 85% of people age 45 and
older say they want to age in their own
homes and communities.
Because we cannot build enough senior
communities and retirement facilities to
house all of us.
It would take too long and
cost too much.
Cross Sector Coordination as a Foundation
Element
Features
Basic Needs -- Safe,
Accessible, and Affordable
 Accessible and affordable housing and
community areas
 Provides information about services
 Fosters safety
Community Engagement
 Fosters meaningful connections
 Promotes active community engagement
 Opportunities for paid or volunteer work
Health and Well Being
 Facilitates access to medical and social services
 Promotes health behaviors
 Supports community activities that enhance well
being
Independence and
Autonomy
 Mobilizes in-home supports and services
 Coordinates or offers transportation
 Supports family and other caregivers
New Way to Define Social Networking
• Research beginning to identify
importance of social
connections on health
outcomes
• Aging in community best
chance to remain connected
• Aging in Community vs. Aging
in Place
• ACA
– focus on care and systems
coordination
– home and community based
services
Village Model
Village Model has a Set of Guiding Principles
• Self-governing, self-supporting, grassroots
membership-based organizations
• Consolidate and coordinate services to members
• Create innovative strategic partnerships that
leverage existing community resources and do not
duplicate existing services
• Holistic, person-centered, and consumer-driven
• Promote volunteerism, civic engagement, and
intergenerational connections
Village Provides the Mechanism to Support Aging in
Community
Support Individuals
to reach highest
potential
Livable, Age Friendly
Community
Local Leadership
Development
Village Builds Strong
Communities
Resources to
stimulate growth
Economic and
Community Development
Platform for local
policy/program
innovation
Health and Wellness
Model for successful
aging
11
Villages are Unique to the Communities they Serve
• Villages vary the organization to reflect the needs and
leverage available resources
• Core services address gaps and preference
• Funded through membership fees and fundraising
from private sources
• Nearly all Villages offer options for both individual or
household membership
• Average age of Village member is between 74 years of
age
12
Village Model is about Individuals
• Sense of Belonging
– A place where I can be myself
• Mutual Support
– A place where I can give and get
support
• Greater Influence
– High level of self efficacy and worth
• Exploration
– A place where I can explore new
ideas/activities
Villages Foster a Strong Sense of Community
• Combination of paid staff, volunteers
and community-based partnerships:
– Facilitate connection to existing community
services
– Assist members to navigate medical, nonmedical and social support needs
– Create social networks and expand social
capital to support aging in community
• 51% of Village members volunteer for
their Village – truly “neighbor helping
neighbor”
Member Benefits include a Wide Range
of Services
• Unique to individual Village based upon community needs
• Services provided by volunteers:
– Transportation
– Social events and exercise classes
– Caregiver support
– Friendly visitor/Respite
– Healthcare/Medical advocacy
– Care transition coordination
• Discounted services provided by providers and community
partners
– Transportation
– In-home technologies
– Home maintenance/repair
– Personal/Home care
Connecting Local Innovations with National
Priorities
• Villages partnering to reduce hospital
readmissions and increase patient
engagement
• Care transitions - Newton at Home –
Newton, MA
– Key to reducing hospital readmissions
– Measuring impact of Village
• Patient Readiness/Engagement - Avenidas
Village – Palo Alto, CA
– Patients - improved their understanding of the
goals and priorities of the visit
– Physicians - helped them address specific patient
concerns and increased satisfaction with quality
of visit
“This is a very simple but
powerful tool, which
allows us to provide better
care, and improve patient
satisfaction” – PAMF
Physician
Village to Village Network
Village to Village Network is Critical to Replication
• VtV Network Objectives
– Promote Village model
– Assist new, emerging and established Villages
– Gather feedback on how member benefits and
programs can be revised to meet needs of individual
Villages
– Research and evaluate impact of Villages on a number
of social and health factors
• Current membership - 210 organizations from
across the country in 40 states and 4 countries
145 Villages Open and Over 120 Communities in
Development Phase
District of Columbia
Communities Engaged in Village
15-25
10-14
4-9
1-3
Existing Villages (124 total
open and operating)
Source: Information on Village activity known and reported to the Village
to Village Network, LLC as of 01/2014
Villages Movement in Virginia
• Open Villages
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
At Home Alexandria
Arlington Neighborhood Villages
Clifton Fairfax Station
Colonial Beach Village
Lake Barcroft Village
McLean Community Village
Mt. Vernon at Home
Park View Village
The Fan Village (Richmond)
• Villages in Development
–
–
–
–
C-Ville Village (Charlottesville)
Greenwood Village (Charlottesville)
Neighbor to Neighbor Village (Blacksburg)
Vertical Village – VOA (Arlington)
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Village Impact: Research
Findings from University of
California Berkeley
Social Impacts of Village Membership
Information derived from University of California Berkeley Evaluation of CA Villages (2013)
– 79% know more people than they used to
– 60% feel more connected with other people
– 49% participate in activities and events more
– 41% feel less lonely
– 37% leave their home more than they used to
Well-Being Impacts
Information derived from University of California Berkeley Evaluation of CA Villages (2013)
• 51% report improved quality of life
• 46% say they are happier
• 35% say their health is better
Service Access Impacts
Information derived from University of California Berkeley Evaluation of CA Villages (2013)
• Access
• 82% are more likely to know how to get assistance when they need it
• 77% know more about community services
• 44% use community services more
• Efficacy
• 29% have an easier time taking care of home
• 25% have an easier time taking care of themselves
• Aging in Place
• 77% feel they are more likely to be able to stay in their own homes as
they get older
Potential Community Impacts
Information derived from University of California Berkeley Evaluation of CA Villages (2013)
•
38% of Villages work on making their community
more aging-friendly
• 22% are engaged in political advocacy
• 10% work on improvements in the built
environment
• 6% sponsor public educational events
Creating a Vision of Comprehensive Aging Services
• Individuals and Caregivers
• Better health, prevention and wellness
through social engagement outlets
• Individualism + active lifestyle = not
“old”
• Impact on connection of health and social
support
• Increase awareness and ability to navigate
system
• Local and Community Providers
• Identify and champion individual preference
• Break up the ‘medical’ model
• Identify and embrace connection of social
and health interventions
For More Information
www.vtvnetwork.org
Candace Baldwin
Director of Strategy, Aging in Community
cbaldwin@capitalimpact.org
THANK YOU.