How Virtual Retirement Communities Work
“Studies have shown that a vast majority of older adults want to remain living in their homes, in their communities as they age. This is where they raised their children, where their friends are, where they know their pharmacist and doctor, and like the restaurants, stores and culture of their community. No one wants to have to leave that,”
How Virtual Retirement Communities Work?
Each village differs based on the personalities of the people involved. Here’s how a 2006 article in The New York Times described the founders of the first virtual retirement community, Beacon Hill Village:
“They all wanted to remain at home, even after transportation and household chores became difficult or dangerous, the point at which many older people quit familiar surroundings. They also wanted to avoid dependence on adult children.
They were unwilling to be herded by developers into cookie-cutter senior housing and told what to do and when to do it by social workers half their age. They had no intention of giving up the Brahms Requiem at St. Paul’s Chapel for a singalong at the old folks’ home, or high tea at the Ritz-Carlton for lukewarm decaf in the ‘country kitchens’ that are ubiquitous in retirement communities.”
Each virtual retirement community varies depending on the people involved, but they share some common traits:
They offer a list of preferred service providers for residents. That makes it easy for residents to hire any vendor, from an arborist to a window washer, knowing they have been vetted by the community. Nearly a quarter of village members need help with household chores, and about 14% require assistance for personal care, the Rutgers study finds.
They run transportation networks. Rides are provided by either volunteers or by senior services programs from local governments. Access to reliable transportation helps residents travel to the doctor, hairdresser or grocery store as needed.
They sponsor social events. For example, at NEST Seattle, the village organizes weekly potluck dinners, outings to plays and movies, and even workshops ranging from the practical (navigating medical insurance as you age) to the intellectual (recently the State of Washington’s poet laureate did a writing workshop for residents).
Village events are tailored to the tastes of the community. East Falls Village residents crave social interaction, but don’t want to be limited to playing mahjong or bingo. One of Flournoy’s neighbors is a former docent at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and arranged behind-the-scenes tours of the museum for village residents. The group also goes on walking tours of nearby neighborhoods and takes yoga classes together. “Thirty years ago, you never would have had a yoga class for people in their sixties and seventies,” Flournoy says.