VILLAGE MOVEMENT CALIFORNIA ADVOCATES FOR VILLAGES

Village Movement California is our statewide coalition of community –based villages that is working to create society-wide change in the way we age.  Village Movement California envisions a society where people of all backgrounds and economic means can age with dignity, purpose, and self-determination and it is playing an active role at the state level to bring about systemic change that will include a role for Villages throughout the state to support aging adults.
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With  the  Master  Plan  for  Aging  in  place,  it’s  time  to  update  aging services to meet  the needs  of  California’s  growing  and  diverse  older  adult  population  and  to  make  sure villages,  an  important  component  of  this  initiative,  are  included.   To that end, the  California  Department  of  Aging  (CDA)  and  its  partners  are  leading  a  statewide discussion  to  reimagine  and  reinvent  regional  aging  services.  

More  and  more  diverse  Californians  want  to  live  in  their  chosen  homes  and communities  as  they  age.  Nationwide,  a new poll  from  the  SCAN  Foundation found that  88%  of  Americans  prefer  to  receive  assistance  living  at  home  or  with  loved  ones. People age  60+  are  now  almost  25%  of the population.  They  need  a  strong  network that  easily  connects  them  to  services that  help  them  live  where  they  choose.  Such  a structure is  essential  for  a  California where all  ages can thrive,  and  key  to  all California adults  and  families navigating  and  accessing  their  choices  for  home  and  community living.    

The Department of Aging is considering implementing a Aging Hub and Spokes structure for every community in the State.  The “Hub” agency will provide people with information, planning, and care coordination for aging services.  The “Spokes” will then connect people to a range of community, county, health, and other partners to support healthy living for older adults.  In this way the Hub and Spokes network can deliver person-centered and culturally responsive information and resources.

Village Movement California’s position is that Villages must be included as a “Spoke” program in each region of the state.  VMC is mobilizing Villages across the state to make that case during upcoming regional townhall meetings led by the Department of Aging.  Members of Pasadena Village will participate in one of the townhalls and report back to our members.  To learn more about Village Movement California visit their website at Village Movement California