Aging in the Woodland Heights Community: A Woodland Heights Village

In 1991, a concept of living in community was introduced in a Boston neighborhood and was called Beacon Hill Village. Since then numerous “villages” have been established around the country, including in Richmond, in order to help older community members to age in place more easily. Visit the Fan District Association’s Fan Village to see what’s happening there.

Aging in Community involves a group of volunteer residents, younger and older, who provide assistance to older residents. Assistance may range from simply changing a light bulb or small tasks around homes or gardens to providing support during a temporary illness or injury. Aging in Community can also provide social programs (games, speakers, hobbies, etc.) bringing the experiences and wealth of knowledge older adults have to offer.

This concept was introduced to Woodland Heights at April’s civic association meeting. The Woodland Heights Baptist Church and our civic association, as well as several residents, have indicated interest in exploring this concept further. This is a project for all interested residents, and we would like to establish a committee of volunteers to determine how a Woodland Heights Village might work and what it would offer to our residents.

Our next steps is to set a date and invite a few speakers to share their experiences. Thanks to Woodland Heights Baptist Church that has offered meeting space; we are looking to set a date in May, so look for notices here and on social media for more details coming soon.