This presentation describes the “Village” model, a consumer-driven social support model that has achieved substantial attention in the United States for its potential role in promoting quality of life among elderly community members. Based on theories of empowerment and social capital development, Villages are created by and for elders themselves, providing an innovative way to marshal the physical, social, and economic resources of community-dwelling older adults. The Village model aims to promote well-being and aging-in-place through a combination of peer support, volunteer-based service provision, care coordination, and social engagement. As of 2025, there were more than 250 of these neighborhood-based, self-governing Village organizations in the US. This presentation describes a ten-year, multidisciplinary program of research with nearly 2,000 Village members in the United States, examining the development and impact of the Village model, including its potential for promoting aging-in-place and quality of life while providing meaningful roles and responsibilities that reflect the individual needs and capacities of each elderly member. Repeated measures analyses of Village members over time showed statistically significant increases in respondents’ perceived ability to obtain needed assistance and age in place, accompanied by significant reductions in the need for home modifications and in the likelihood of relocating; there was less impact on member social engagement or health care costs. The presentation will conclude by considering implications for developing these kinds of innovative, consumer-driven aging services in other countries.

Authors:
Andrew Scharlach, University of California, Berkeley, United States

About the Presenter(s)
Andrew E. Scharlach is Professor of the Graduate School at the University of California at Berkeley, where he conducts research regarding innovative social support structures that promote well-being and social engagement in later life.

See this presentation on the full schedule – Thursday Schedule

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