Courtesy of Susan Hindman

A grassroots effort that began in 2001 in Boston has become a popular national model for aging in place. Beacon Hill Village was the brainchild of longtime residents who wanted an alternative to moving from their homes into retirement or assisted living communities. The village boundaries were defined by adjacent neighborhoods—encompassing homes where younger adults and children also lived—and residents 50 and over became members. If they needed something—transportation, medical care, home repairs—the staff and volunteers would help connect them to those services at an affordable price and to professionals who were already vetted by the group.

The result? Older adults could stay in their homes and lead safe, healthy, productive lives in the neighborhood they loved and maintain contact with people of all ages. In 2005, AARP called Beacon Hill Village “a revolutionary, all-encompassing concierge service.”

It should come as no surprise that this concept has taken off. The population continues to age, retirement savings are down, home sales are down, many people lack long-term care insurance, and baby boomers simply don’t accept retirement facilities as their future. Beacon Hill has spawned more than 45 nonprofit villages in 20 states, all of which are being gathered under the umbrella of the recently established Village to Village Network.

What kinds of help do seniors in these villages receive? Everyday things, some that we’d never think about asking for help with while we’re still healthy and mobile:

• Dog walking
• Delivery of meals or groceries
• Household tasks
• Finding a dietitian, computer geek, personal trainer, or a massage therapist
• Gardening, furniture rearranging, picture hanging, or lightbulb changing
• Getting advice about Medicare, taxes, or reverse mortgages
• Getting a ride to the airport, to a doctor’s appointment, to see a friend, to go shopping, or to run errands
• Home repairs, including finding plumbers, electricians, painters, etc.

Other benefits can include exercise classes, lectures, social and cultural activities, outings, and health clinics. For those needing need 24-hour care or other expensive services, the costs might approach what you’d pay in a nursing home, but at least you’d be at home.

Beacon Hill partnered with NCB Capital Impact “to expand the knowledge and development of the village-based approach to aging nationwide.” Tremendous interest in the model has led to informational symposiums being held across the country for those wanting to learn how to create and fund their own villages.

NCB Capital Impact is the funding arm and receives grants, such as one in July from the SCAN Foundation—an independent charity focused on finding solutions to the health care needs of California seniors—to help expand the village model in that state. The $100,000 grant will go toward piloting two villages each in San Francisco, San Diego, and Los Angeles.

In May, the Milbank Foundation for Rehabilitation gave NCB a $50,000 grant in support of efforts to expand the village model nationwide. “Over 3,000 community groups around the country dream of creating their own villages,” Steve Roop, of Beacon Hill Village, said when the grant was awarded. He said the money would “help speed the launch of a national network dedicated to helping these groups realize those dreams.”