DC Villages Serving Older Adults

Villages facilitate access to community support services and connection to on-going civic engagement. At the heart of the Village model is the focus on the individual as the core of the community. Therefore, Villages are self-governing, self-supporting, grassroots membership-based organizations. Village members are active participants in the service delivery process and provide essential assistance in the planning and implementation of a wide range of programming. Villages offer members a network of resources, services, programs and activities that revolve around daily living needs. This network includes social, cultural and educational programs, ongoing health and wellness activities and member-to-member volunteer support. Villages focus on expanding choice and access; they create social networks within the community and provide assistance to secure long-term services and supports. The need for this is clear: research shows that the most damaging threat to well-being in later life is not fear of absolute destitution or poor health but loss of life purpose and boredom.