Assessing the Village Model and the Village To Village Network in Advocating Aging in Place for Older Americans

Aging in place allows seniors to remain in their choice of residence for as long as possible, using local services and conveniences to live safely and independently. The Village Model is a component of this movement, recognized as a community-based and peer-support network, which allows older people to age in their homes and remain active in their community. In this thesis, I evaluate how successfully Village to Village Network (a US not-for-profit organisation) has been able to meet the needs of its constituency. I used three methods to make this assessment: 1. completing a literature review on policies related to older Americans and the Aging in Place movement; 2. conducting research on network structures, both through a literature review and case studies of other nationwide networks; 3. employing a survey instrument to interview the leadership of existing Villages regarding their experience with their community and the Village to Village Network.