When Lisa’s mom relocated to live with Aunt Mariya, the transition was laden with uncertainties. She was really concerned about her social butterfly mom’s ability to build a social support system.

Lisa, determined to weave a tapestry of support and engagement for her mom, remembered a segment on the “Village Movement” she had once seen on TV, which illuminated a community-driven approach to aging in place. 

Intrigued by the prospect of a nurturing environment, Lisa Googled “Village Movement” and ended up on the Village-to-Village Network website. She was able to find a local Village that promised a blend of social engagement and mutual support that seemed tailor-made for her mom’s needs.

Lisa called the phone number listed on the local Village’s website. She described her mom’s personality, interests and asked, “What will it take to enroll my mom as a member?”

The very pleasant Executive Director she talked to explained, the short process of validating proof of residency in their zip code, background check and interview. The Executive Director added “It’s a coincidence that I am going to meet the next-door neighbor of where your mom and aunt live this afternoon. I can swing by and get their process started at 4pm today?”

Lisa jumped with joy and said “Absolutely!” 

Armed with information from what the Executive Director had told me and the village website, Lisa called her mom expecting to get some resistance. However as soon as Lisa shared “They have a full calendar of daily events that includes Mahjong, Knitting, Story Telling, Movie Night, Singing, and mom they also celebrate Easter Egg Hunt, your favorite holiday together.” 

That clenched the deal. Lisa’s mom had such fond memories of the Easter Egg hunt as a child, she had passed on that infectious enthusiasm for the hunt of colorful easter eggs to the entire family. 

Lisa’s mom enjoyed the bartering system, where members exchanged services using favor points, even more. It became a game for her. She wanted to earn the most points in June. Her culinary prowess quickly became a currency of care, earning her favor points that not only enriched her life but also provided a safety net of companionship and assistance for Aunt Mariya.

The Executive Director was initially not open to admitting her aunt as a member of the Village. She insisted that her aunt’s son would need to be interviewed by them, as he had power of attorney for her aunt. Since her son was out on a month-long business trip, Lisa introduced the Executive Director to her aunt’s daughter-in-law. After that conversation the Executive Director decided not to accept Lisa’s aunt into the program, the reason cited was “too dependent on others to qualify for our program.” 

Lisa’s mom suspected that the true reason for refusing Lisa’s aunt’s admission into the village was that she saw a dysfunctional family dynamic between her aunt and her daughter-in-law and did not want the other village members to get thrown into the fray of the arguments. 

Her mom’s suspicion turned out to be true, as overtime as the Executive Director saw how involved Lisa’s mom was, she said to her mom one day, “your sister can be a temporary member while you are a member of the village and living with her.” 

So, both her mom and her aunt became very socially active. Her mom used to say: “Our village people have reminded my sister how to laugh and live again.” 

Lisa’s mom became very independent because of the village. Lisa was delighted to hear from her mom one day “Our sink was leaking, and I used one of my Favor Points to have someone come and fix it for us. I didn’t even tell your cousin that we had a problem. I just got it fixed, with MY Favor Points.” 

This was a stark difference from the panicked call she had received from her mom one day when her dad was not feeling well, and the toilet was clogged. Lisa recalled how hard it had been to find the right plumber on the Internet and arrange for him to go to her parents’ home for an emergency visit to unclog the toilet.

For Lisa, witnessing her mom’s revitalization and Aunt Mariya’s rekindled zest for life within the Village’s embrace was a revelation. The laughter and camaraderie that filled their days, the small victories in navigating daily challenges, all painted a vivid picture of what aging with dignity and support could look like. The Village, with its ethos of mutual aid and community, had not only provided Lisa’s mom with a sense of purpose but had also subtly redefined the contours of her independence, leaving an indelible mark on their lives.