Aging in Place: Finding Community Support
MAINSTREET BANK
One of the most important issues older members of our community face is how to safely stay in their homes and communities as they age.
According to the 2021 Home and Community Preferences Survey by AARP, around three-quarters of adults aged 50 and older wish to remain in their homes as they age. But a third of all respondents said they would need to make modifications to their home if they or a loved one needed physical assistance.
Aging in place presents a wide range of challenges – from the physical modifications homes need to support older residents to knowing when it’s time to stop driving and figuring out how you’ll get around without a car. Tara Ballman, Executive Director of the National Aging in Place Council, says the No. 1 thing seniors and their loved ones can do is plan ahead.
It’s so important to start the conservation, particularly about things that are uncomfortable. People are scared about losing their independence. But when you learn about all the different options available out there, it’s less scary.
– Tara Ballman
And in Northern Virginia and the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area broadly, there’s a wealth of community organizations and programs that can help.
Jason Scadron is the coordinator for Fairfax Village in the City, a local organization which supports city residents as they age in place. Founded in 2022, it has around 50 volunteers who help members with things like rides, yard work, technology help, social visits, and more. It’s part of the neighborhood Village movement, which brings together a network of neighbors to help older residents.
Our volunteers are vetted, trustworthy folks who just want to support their older neighbors. It’s really been a benefit for so many people.
– Jason Scadron
From neighborhood villages to nonprofits like Rebuilding Together, which can help with home modifications like adding grab bars in bathrooms to prevent falls, to organizations like the Shepherd’s Center of Northern Virginia, which provides free transportation for seniors to doctors appointments and other essential activities, there’s no shortage of support for our aging communities.
Your local area agency on aging is a great place to get started and can connect you to lots of local resources:
National Institute on Aging: Aging in Place
Virginia Division for Aging Service
Arlington County
Arlington County Aging & Disability
Northern Virginia Falls Prevention Alliance
Fairfax City & County
Fairfax County Family Services for Older Adults
Rebuilding Together Arlington/Fairfax/Falls Church
Loudoun County
Washington DC