Senior Villages in the District of Columbia: A New Age-At-Home Initiative
What is a village?
Villages help elders stay at home in their neighborhoods. A Village is neighborhood- based nonprofit membership organization supported by volunteers. A Village makes it easier for older neighbors to continue living safely, comfortably and actively in their own homes and connected with their neighbors.
How does a village work?
Members continue to live in their homes. They can get together for parties, picnics, happy hours, and visits to local theaters, music and art venues. Volunteers offer free services that can range from rides to and from medical appointments, prescription pickups, yard clean-ups, and simple handyman repairs, assistance with grocery shopping, changing light bulbs in ceiling fixtures, and reading to the visually impaired. Villages also help their members find useful community resources and reliable professionals and licensed vendors. Villages do not provide medical services, but can connect seniors with these services. They typically offer some services not traditionally offered by the DC Lead Agencies.
Why join?
Avoid or delay a move to a retirement community or institutional care. Lower stress levels for yourself and those who worry about you. As a dues-paying member, it is you, not a handbook or a corporation, deciding which services and activities are offered by your neighborhood’s village.
Where can I learn more about senior villages, programs and services offered in my neighborhood?
The Department of Aging and Community Living has a senior service directory of agencies providing a variety of services. Call (202) 724-5626.
Find a Senior Village in Washington, DC near you.
Below is a link to an interactive map where you can learn more about villages in and around your neighborhood. The boundaries outlined on the map are guidelines to service areas. You are encouraged to research all the villages and find the village that is right for you. So, if you don’t live in a shaded area or you live in the boundary lines of a different village, you are still able to contact the village of your choice and inquire about becoming a member.”
