Do Villages Promote Aging in Place? Results of a Longitudinal Study

Villages are a new, grassroots, consumer-directed model in the US that aims to promote aging in place and prevent unwanted relocations for older adults. Villages provide seniors with opportunities for social engagement, civic engagement, and an array of support services. In total, 222 Village members were surveyed at intake and 12-month follow-up to examine changes in their confidence aging in place, social connectedness, and health. The strongest positive results were in the domain of confidence, including significantly greater confidence aging in place, perceived social support, and less intention to relocate after 1 year in the Village.