Does it take a Village?

Aging in Place

 

During the 1990’s, Hilary Rodham Clinton wrote a book titled after an African Proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child.”  Fast forward to 2013, and we have begun to see a variation of this concept.  In the growing and growingly diverse literature concerning aging, there has been a lot of discussion around the concept of “aging in place.”

 

 

Why is so much attention being paid to the elderly?  The reality is that the aging population in America is growing significantly. Unfortunately, programs, services and alternative living options have not kept pace with the changing needs and expectations of the “newly aging” generation born before or during WWII, the pre-baby boomers.  Some basic statistics tell the story best:

 

“In the United States, the proportion of the population aged >65 years is projected to increase from 12.4% in 2000 to 19.6% in 2030 (3). The number of persons aged >65 years is expected to increase from approximately 35 million in 2000 to an estimated 71 million in 2030 (3), and the number of persons aged >80 years is expected to increase from 9.3 million in 2000 to 19.5 million in 2030 (3).” (CDC Public Health and Aging, 2003)

 

Grandma isn’t so ready to take over the small front room of the house, or live out her remaining years in a nursing home environment, circa 1950. Two major trends have begun to emerge to meet the combination of needs the “new elderly” are faced with; aging in place, i.e remaining in your current home with adaptations and retrofitting of to accommodate safety and accessibility issues; and coordinated planning for transportation, recreation and medical services.  A second model is referred to as the Village concept. The Village concept aims to “support the medical, functional, emotional, social, and spiritual needs of older adults.” Seniors living in their own homes join together in their neighborhood and set up networks, public and private, to help coordinate and deliver  essential services, thus creating  a “Village”.  Villages reflect their communities through variations in design, capacity, and operation. Many older adults join these Villages because of a desire to remain in their homes and not be totally dependent on family members and friends.  A good summary of this concept can be found through the AARP Public Policy Institute Fact Sheet 177, March 2010.

 

Buts let’s talk about us.  Aging can be daunting.  For those of us in our early 70’s and 80’s, the gradual loss of energy, or resiliency, not to mention hearing, vision, balance and memory looms over our daily lives.  One friend remarked that if she had to ‘age in place’, that place should be, say, the 1970’s!  Even the language we use to describe ourselves is weighted with hidden, unwelcome images: old, elderly, decrepit, “loosing it”, aged.  When I say these words, images of my own grandmothers appear; stooped over, with white, thinning hair;  wrinkles on their wrinkles.   

 

One way we might choose to help guide us through this next phase of our lives is to ask  some basic questions:  I’ll list some here, but do join in the conversation; add your own questions.

 

1. Is my current living arrangement comfortable, safe, and accessible to me NOW,
2. Would this change if I encountered a temporary or permanent disability, e.g. injured arm, leg, back; post surgery body-part replacement (hip, shoulder, knee and yes, we have two of each!!!)
3. Would this change if my energy level or difficulty breathing limited my ability to meet all my basic needs, (cooking, shopping, showering, simple house cleaning)
4. Would this change if I lost my spouse or living partner who shared tasks with me.
5. Would this change if I could no longer drive, or only drive in daylight?

 

 

Over the next month, I’ll be looking into these models, and would love feedback.  Ideas, models that work, questions that need to be asked and answered. Join the conversation.

 

October 4, 2013