OC village movement
Village movement in Orange County
SeniorServ has received a grant from the Archstone Foundation to develop a village network in Orange County called Incircle Village Network™. Using a hub and spoke model, SeniorServ will partner with local groups who are interested in forming a village in their community to help them remain in their homes as they age. The first such initiative is TrueNeighbors Village (www.True-Neighbors.org) in Irvine where Jewish Federation & Family Services, the City of Irvine and SeniorServ are partnering to help seniors to establish a multi-cultural and multi-lingual village in Irvine. SeniorServ is collaborating with community leaders to form Garden Grove Village and is working with interested leaders in other cities in Orange County to develop villages in their respective communities.
Request more infomation on starting a village or request a speaker on villages please contact:
Shannon Buhrmaster at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or (714) 229-3375
Click here for general fact sheet
Background on Villages
In 2001 older adults in communities around the United States began to join together in their own neighborhoods to develop innovative, grassroots peer support organizations designed to help members age in place. Commonly referred to as “Villages,” these organizations are generally consumer-driven, membership associations. Originally started in the Beacon Hill neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, the Village concept arose out of older community members’ desire to reside in their own homes while being able to access services that address their needs related to aging. The Village model is rapidly expanding across California and the nation.
Village members receive a variety of services and support (e.g., transportation, grocery shopping, referrals to home care and other discounted services, care coordination, volunteer opportunities, and social and cultural events) specifically designed to help them age in place and avoid institutionalization. Membership services are paid for through dues payment, low-income subsidies, and/or time banking.
• Core Services – Defined by members and may include transportation coordination, transportation, grocery shopping, social activities, and information and referral services.
• Concierge Services – By design, Villages deliver whatever a member wants and needs to feel safe and comfortable in their homes. Typically, this done by a member services coordinator who connects members to the requested information or assists with an appropriate referral to a service provider.
• Community Building – These are services that foster meaningful civic engagement and independence through volunteerism, social connections, and recreation and leisure activities.
• Health and Wellness – Villages promote health, disease prevention and wellness through partnerships with hospitals, medical providers, house call services, medical advocacy, health promotion and wellness classes, and support groups.