The relationship between the District of Columbia State Office of AARP and the “villages” in the DC area continues with the launch, in late October 2011, of an e-newsletter called AARP Village News, a pilot project.
See Also: Villages – Helping People Age in Place
The newsletter is a product of the DC, Maryland and Virginia state offices, all of which provide assistance and support to the villages in their areas. The Washington Area Village Exchange (WAVE), comprised of village leaders in the three states in the Washington Metro area, cooperates with the state offices to distribute the newsletter to village members.. All the state offices and the WAVE contribute content, considered relevant and interesting to village members, as revealed in a 2009 AARP survey and by ongoing communication with village leaders and member.
There are eight Villages in DC — more than in any city nationwide.
Nationwide, the villages typically have about 100 members and are generally small, non-profit, member driven organizations, usually run with just a few staff members and a lot of volunteers. , More than 90% of village members were aged 65 or older in 2010, and 87% owned their own homes, according to research from the University of California, Berkeley.
The village concept, simply put, is to make it easier to live at home as we age, and get our needs met through our community. Each village compiles a list of trusted local service providers according to needs dictated by village members, and members pay entrance fees, which can range from $25 to $1200 a year with an average of $350, in order to have access to that list, along with other membership perks, including social events and activities.
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