Letters: A village can help seniors live at home

Updated: OCTOBER 5, 2016 — 3:01 AM EDT

ISSUE | SENIOR LIVING

It takes a village

We appreciate Stacey Burling's thoughtful article, "The dilemma of aging in place" (Sunday).

There is a solution to many situations in which people want to stay in their own homes and the neighborhoods they care about. That is the Village Movement, connecting neighbor to neighbor, linking volunteers with members to provide support, such as transportation to a doctor's visit or the grocery store, errands, friendly visits, and tech support. Neighbors meet at cultural, educational, and social activities.

In Philadelphia, there are three villages where neighbors help neighbors thrive, connect, and engage: Penn's Village (Washington to Girard Avenues and river to river), East Falls Village, and Northwest Village Network.

In Delaware, there's the Brandywine Village.

These villages have provided a sense of security and companionship to many older adults who are well enough to live in their own homes and a feeling of relief to their adult children.

|Janet Burnham, Kristin Davidson, Philadelphia, and Avalie Saperstein, Meadowbrook, board members, Penn's Village, info@pennsvillage.org