Why We’re Needed

We believe that the power of community can create society-wide change in the way we age.

Sustainability is Key

Current guides and networks exist to assist local community members in navigating the legal and organizational tasks to launch a new village in their area. But shortly thereafter, village leaders must wrestle with longer-term questions about sustainability.

Scale = Greater Impact

Older Californians represent a powerful demographic. Many statewide health networks, pharmaceutical companies, foundations, service organizations and others want to find ways to improve health and wellness as we age. But they need scale to make an impact and don’t have capacity to work with individual villages.

Local Ingenuity Deserves a Statewide Stage

From San Diego to the Central Valley to the Bay Area and beyond, communities are changing aging through innovative programs being run by individual villages. Too often, these successes remain known only to their members.

The Aging Revolution is Now

We know that better physical and mental health result from the increased community interaction and personalized support available to members of villages. Our state needs a leader to kickstart the analysis of the “big data” of health and wellness indicators that we generate as we age.

California Demands More Options for Aging Well

Moderate and middle-class Californians of all backgrounds and identities have few options to support their aging in place, even though they comprise the largest group of people 65 and older.

Ashby Village members are clowning around

Member Spotlight

Ashby Village

With 600 members and volunteers, Ashby Village is a warm, welcoming community, rooted in connection, social support and a spirit of resiliency. We draw strength from one another to live our lives with vitality and joy. Given our Berkeley roots, we are socially active, too, advocating for policies to make our city age-friendly.