In recent years, the concept of elder-friendly communities has become central to the notion of aging in place. Described in various ways, an elder-friendly community is a place where “people can live their entire lives, if they so desire, rather than having to relocate and lose their social capital. The ‘Aging in Place Project‘ recently launched by a special committee of the Foggy Bottom Association here in Washington DC is a good example of this growing nation wide movement.
Modeled after 16 other successful Villages’ as they are sometimes called here in the Metro area, the new Foggy Bottom/West End Village is a nonprofit membership organization. The Village concept relies on neighborhood volunteers to help provide essential services such as transportation, minor home repairs and social activities. Members pay a modest annual fee to help offset operating costs.
Elder-friendly communities are places in which age is not considered a barrier to improving lifelong interests and activities, where support and accommodations exist to meet the basic health and social needs of those with age-related disabilities, and where opportunities exist for older adults to develop new sources of fulfillment and engagement.
While various models such as the Village have emerged identifying aspects key to the concept of elder-friendliness, a consistent theme found in most literature on the subject is associated with social interaction or social connectedness.
The elder-friendly community that assist its older adults in maintaining social connectedness while deepening existing relationships recognizes the social capital of these relationships, that in turn result in contribution. In turn this concept of contribution recognizes the wisdom and experience of older citizens and sees them as active contributors to communities well-being.
The Aging in Place Project promotes this type of active participation of older people in our community. It recognizes that social participation and social support are strongly associated with the overall well-being of the community. Allowing elder members to exercise their competence and enjoy the respect and esteem of their community is afterall a win-win for everyone involved.